Martha Kohlrus Post Hospital Care and Therapy

After suffering a massive heart attack on April 30, Martha Kohlrus will require skilled care for some time once she is discharged. After being deprived of oxygen for up to 10 minutes, she will need months and maybe up to two years of therapy for cognitive and physical recovery. This therapy is expensive, and it is unknown if or when Martha will return to work. `

Martha’s daughter, Tara, called 911 after speaking with her mother. Emergency services arrived approximately 10 minutes after receiving the call and found her in full cardiac arrest without a pulse. She was taken immediately to surgery where doctors placed three stents. Martha coded up to ten more times during the procedure and doctors gave her a 50/50 chance of even waking up. She was placed in a hypothermic coma and on a ventilator. 

Two weeks after the heart attack, the temporary pacemaker is out and she’s breathing fully on her own. She’s already been moved from ICU to a general room and we hope she will begin inpatient rehab next week. Major concerns for cognitive function remain. Martha does not know where she is, what happened or why no one is with her. She does not recognize family yet, and will have to relearn how to do simple daily tasks like holding a spoon, dressing and eating. We remind her daily her name is Martha, she had a heart attack, we can’t be in the hospital because of coronavirus, and that she has a beautiful family absolutely desperate to see her again.

Many people have reached out to her family and asked to help; once Martha is released from the hospital, she will need 24hr assistance, so this is a great way to help Martha on the road to recovery. All donations will go toward extensive outpatient therapy for our beloved aunt, mother, sister, friend.