Support Harkness Family's Health Recovery

Back in mid-April Chelsea woke up with a swollen lip. After seeking medical attention, they put her on a strong antibiotic and pain medication. Within 3 days the swelling migrated up into her cheek and eye. When she went back, they did some blood work, and her test results came back that she was septic, and she was rushed to Strong Memorial. There they took blood cultures, CT scans, ultrasounds, chest x-rays, and started iv medications and listed her as “critical condition”. With high fevers, sepsis, pneumonia, and not responding well to antibiotics, she spent 8 days in the hospital. When she was released, she had an iv-port placed to receive 3 iv antibiotic treatments a day for 4 weeks with a nurse coming to the home every other day to take blood samples to indicate if the antibiotics were working and check the levels of sepsis.

Mind you this is all after Cory weeks prior went to the ER due to coming in contact with poison ivy which he is extremely allergic to. Cory was also placed on antibiotics and received wound care due to the blisters.

Cory has had to deplete his remaining 4 weeks of paid family leave to stay home to manage the household, their 3 kiddos, and take care of Chelsea who has still been left with little to no energy or the ability to handle long tasks due to still recovering from sepsis and pneumonia. On top of still volunteering to coach baseball and take their kiddos to their sports activities in which they are very active in.

As the theory of “when it rains it pours” we have now just learned that Cory himself has now been admitted to Highland. Due to being on antibiotics for so long he has developed photosensitivity as a result. Cory is currently covered in blisters and rashes from being exposed to the sun with coaching baseball and having to attend the kids’ sporting events. He is currently on iv pain medication and more antibiotics to help mange infection and any pain caused by sun blisters.

With Cory now hospitalized and having to be out of work and paid family leave no longer available I wanted to seek the community’s help to see what we can do to minimize any worry, at least when it comes to their monthly expenses. Any emergency nest egg they had has been depleted. Chelsea and Cory have always volunteered their time to sport programs in their communities and coached football and baseball/softball. And with no question is there for anyone when in need.

Let’s see what we can do to help the Harkness family financially until Cory can fully recover and get back to work to support his family. Their main goal needs to focus on recovery and health!