Oliver Hampel needs our help!

They say that lightning doesn't strike twice, but in the case of our dear friend Oliver Hampel, it has. It is unbelievable that just a few years after his traumatic accident with a power saw, Oliver would find himself, yet again, clinging to life in the ICU. After months of mysterious debilitating pain, Oliver was under the emergency care of a brain surgeon who performed two surgeries that saved his life.

Oliver began experiencing symptoms in April of 2023. He was driving from his Florida home to an art show in the Woodlands, Texas, when he started to experience severe head pain, resulting in a trip to the ER. He was treated for migraines and sent on his way. His troubles persisted for three months, and he returned to the ER numerous times, resulting in inconclusive findings from specialists.

Doctors finally discovered a spinal fluid leak in his back. That spontaneous leak was ultimately the root of all of Oliver's medical problems. The spinal fluid is encased in a membrane that surrounds the brain. This fluid is a floating cushion to protect the brain from the skull's hard surface. Oliver's spinal leak drained fluid from his brain, resulting in trauma that caused two subdural hematomas, which is bleeding of the brain. This diagnosis resulted in a nineteen-day hospitalization for Oliver with numerous surgeries to drain the blood from his skull and repair his spine.

At different points, Oliver was experiencing seizures, paralysis, and even unconsciousness. Christiane was left with agonizing decisions to make on Oliver's behalf. Opposing brain surgeons were offering conflicting treatment options. One said surgery would save his life if he acted quickly. Another said surgery would be the wrong choice. She trusted the doctor who opted for surgery, even though he was not in-network for their health insurance. The decision to operate on Oliver's brain saved his life; however, the medical bills will be unsurmountable.

Unfortunately, our healthcare system leaves any of us vulnerable like this. On the one hand, we are all so grateful that the surgeon saved Oliver's life, and the prognosis appears positive, but the hard part is the financial burden that Oliver and Christiane will be on the hook for a very long time. Please help if you can and show your love and support by donating to offset his medical expenses. Any amount will go a long way to getting them back on their feet.