Support The Koziol Family After Brain Injury

Hi, I'm Sonia, Susan Koziol's sister. I wanted to start this GoFundMe page for my sister and her husband Dan, to alleviate some of the financial burden that this life changing event has caused. Here is their story in Susan’s words…

“We arrived in Mazatlán, Mexico, on June 14th, 2022. On June 15, after a beautiful lunch at a restaurant that sat right on the beach, we flagged down an open-air taxi called a ‘pulmonia’ (looks like a golf cart) and hopped on. The driver got distracted with his cell phone, hit a speed bump, lost control of the steering wheel and hit a cement pole that was at the tip of the center divider. I was thrusted forward, hitting my brow bone and fracturing a rib. I lost consciousness for a few minutes; however, Dan was expelled out of the vehicle upon impact and crashed down to the pavement hitting the left side of his head on the edge of the center divider. Upon arrival at the hospital, he was given a 10% chance of survival. There he remained in an induced coma for 2 weeks. Initially, he had surgery where they relieved some of the hemorrhaging in his brain. He also had a broken jaw on each side and broken cheekbone. While in the ICU, he had several complications including infections, 5 blood transfusions and pneumonia caused by a fungal infection in the lungs. Within 5 days after the accident, he had to have a craniectomy. When the medical team believed his chances of survival had increased, he had jaw surgery to repair his severely broken jaw and had 2 metal plates inserted on the right side of his jaw. After 22 days, our insurance sent an air ambulance and flew us back to San Diego where he remained 30 days in ICU. On Aust 7, 2022, Dan was discharged, and I chose to take him home. I knew it was not going to be easy, but I also knew that Dan would not do as well in a nursing facility. He went home with a feeding tube, catheter, unable to move on his own, a craniectomy and if no one was around to assist me, I could only transport him to a high back chair by using a Hoyer lift.

In October 2022, Dan had a cranioplasty where his skull was repaired. He was improving significantly until in December he began to deteriorate, and we ended at the ER 7 times in a 6-week period. By February 2023, the neurologist realized he had hydrocephalus. In March they placed a cerebral shunt and from that moment he began to improve tremendously. By April he began walking on his own for the first time, showing signs of cognitive improvement and his voice and speech started coming back. Dan has had consistent speech, physical and occupational therapy and now he has begun CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy). Though there have been amazing improvements, Dan is still very dependent on me. I need to catheterize him 3 to 4 times a day because his brain and bladder still do not communicate 100%. Due to aphasia and apraxia, he is unable to fully communicate, read or write so choosing medication and other tasks, are very difficult for him to initiate on his own. Processing is still slow, and he struggles with making the right decisions. He is unable to drive and needs direction. He is getting better every day but at this time, I remain his fulltime caregiver.”

Dan has come a long way and has had tremendous strides, however, there is still quite a journey ahead. He is now experiencing psychosis and requires other medical assistance which, Susan, his wife and fulltime caregiver, continues to provide. His medical team are very confident that Dan will get through this new diagnosis and will either have substantial healing or recovery but requires additional therapy and medication.

Dan was 63, a CEO and marketeer at the time of the accident as well as the main income provider. He was not near retiring. Susan had breast cancer a few years back and since had been Dan’s support in the business by assisting him in all administrative tasks and no longer worked outside the home. Dan was a very talented musician, played the piano, guitar, wrote music and had a true passion for music and art. He was an artist and a true creative. Dan and Susan had a fairytale of a marriage with deep love for one another and continue to have. This is what has sustained them in this difficult journey and what has made the most significant impact in Dan's recovery process.

Meanwhile, Susan is unable to work, and Dan is still waiting for his Social Security disability. His case is a complicated one since he is from Australia and has not had sufficient work history in the US to qualify him for Social Security disability benefits. It is possible to combine both countries work history under a special arrangement between Australia and the United States, but it takes time. They filed the claim since August 2022, and it remains in pending status.

Dan and Susan sold their home right before the accident and their plan was to buy another home soon. With the house proceeds and a small income from IHSS (In Home Support Services), Susan was able to support Dan and herself, all additional medical expenses not covered by their insurance, expenses needed for his therapy, living expenses and any additional needs. The IHSS payment is a very small amount so she has had to subsidize her income with the money from their home’s proceeds in order to cover it all. This money has rapidly depleted and while they wait for social security to finally be approved, they need your help. Susan is searching for ways to bring in additional income, but it is very challenging when most of her time is taken up in Dan’s care and needs. We ask for your prayers and support while they wait for his disability benefits.

Any amount helps. Dan, Susan and our family will forever be thankful for your support. Thank you, Sonia.

P.S. You can fallow my sister on Instagram as she shares Dan and her Journey of traumatic brain injury at @danstbijourney. We have also shared her website herewhere she is currently working on in the hopes to not only share their story but raise TBI awareness as well. Thank you for reading their story.