Join Lance's Journey of Stroke Recovery

Have you ever had a disruptive moment in your life where it looks like life as you know it has ended? That's where we were 23 years ago, 6 years ago and that's where we are now.

23 years ago, Lance had 2 strokes on his right side. He had to learn to walk again and lost fine motor control in his hand. He was a brilliant pianist who can't play anymore. 6 years ago he went from 20/20 vision to losing sight in one eye and being visually impaired in the other. He fell and broke his hip and collar bone. After so much loss - ability to move, see and make music, here we are again.

Last January, Lance and I were in Costco when he began to have a stroke. A week later, he had a second stroke - both on his "good" left side. In the last 3+ months, he has been in 3 emergency rooms, 3 hospitals, 3 skilled nursing/rehab facilities and has a frequent flyer card for ambulance rides.

Lance has been profoundly affected and traumatized by mistreatment and abuse by staff at various facilities which have resulted in severe anxiety, PTSD and an additional injury which added another week in the hospital. His left side, speech, swallowing and balance have been affected. He also has systemic pain and muscle spasms. Although he has gotten 85% of his speech back, he is trapped in his body. He can't walk and his latest progress has been to sit up.

Now, since Lance's recovery needs are not enough to warrant acute rehab, our insurance denied any further inpatient care. The insurance gave the skilled nursing/rehab facility he was at, a 72 hour notice to be discharged home.

We are both so grateful for every person that has visited and reached out. So many people have showed up for Lance already by visiting, bringing him meals, checking in with the family and tangible help. Each time someone has come, it has elevated his mental state, his care and been a lifeline from God into a deep, dark hole reminding him that life is continuing and he can move forward. It makes such a difference! The last facility said they never had a patient with so many visitors, ever.

As I write this, it is Sunday, April 28th. The last few days have been a whirlwind of rearranging the house, receiving medical equipment - a hospital bed, wheelchair and commode, buying or borrowing other essentials the insurance doesn't cover, starting to set up at-home rehab, nursing care and being terrified of the practicalities of Lance recovering at home while working full time and being the "domestic glue" holding our home together.

We are starting this Go Fund Me as Lance has just transitioned to long term disability which creates a 40% monthly shortfall to meet our basic expenses. On top of paying our deductible off, (approximately $7k) any additional expenses to support his recovery such as massage therapy ($150/session), counseling ($112/session), supplemental physical therapy ($40/hour), care when I have client appointments or need to be out of the house ($40/hour), any holistic care etc. are out of pocket.

We have used up our cushion since January as my focus was on the immediate crisis. My company went into maintenance mode. I have not been paid since December. All the momentum, new projects and new client offerings we were about to launch in the first quarter, paused. Now, there is incredible urgency to move forward in a way that I can balance with the rest of our life. Unfortunately, this takes time.

All help received through Go Fund Me will go directly to these expenses. Lance needs to focus on his continued healing without the weight and stress from financial worries. Lance wants to get back to his life with energy, independence and as much functionality as possible. We, as a family are working through finding the "new normal" in this season.

Yesterday was our 33rd anniversary. We ate dinner with him sitting up in the wheelchair, watched 5 minutes of a show and then he was done. This was not the anniversary either of us hoped for but even in the midst of it, we are thankful to be together and have him home.

Thank you for your help, support, kindness and prayers as we continue this unexpected journey.

May 20th -It has been a wild ride with lots of highs and lows including 2 emergency room trips in the same day, Lance detoxing from a miserable drug that he was on way too long due to mismanaged medical care and establishing a new daily/weekly routine with ot, pt and st along with nurses all coming to the house. We're all sleep deprived and everything takes more energy to accomplish. I was reminded recently by a good friend this stage is temporary, not permanent. This was something I desperately needed to hear at that moment. We are not standing still, we are moving forward.