The Valona Family
Donation protected
When you hear of a challenge or event from a friend, initially it's stunning and shocking.
When people hurt it exposes an opportunity to be reflective.
To think difficult thoughts.
What is happening?
Why are seemingly bad things happening to good people?
Why would God allow such a thing?
It exposes our own emotion for our own family, what if the shoe was on our foot?
How would I handle this?
What would I do?
What can I do?
A lot of the time we remain at a distance as a family endures unbelievable circumstances, feeling helpless. As I've been digesting the news about the Valona family I'm moved to encourage her to let people love her.
On Saturday the Valonas buried their young daughter Jordyn after a long battle with a very rare bone disease and two types of epilepsy. They were already feeling crushed by mounting financial needs.
Andrew and Arica own a successful small painting company in Gig Harbor, parents of athletes and have been in the Gig Harbor community since the 70’s.
Arica has had her hands full with trying to run the families small business, connect with clients, and now will be advocating for Andrew who will be recovering for months while the pair of them grieve the loss of Jordyn.
Managing all of this is more than one person or one family should be made to handle.
BACK STORY
Andrew has been managing his chronic back pain for a number of years. His occupation is very physically demanding. Financially he did not make himself a priority.
On Monday this came to a head when he finally went in to address the severe stenosis of the lower lumbar. In the past year he had began to have temporary paralysis in his legs which would cause him to collapse.
Surgery took quite a bit longer than anticipated due to the fact that Andrews dura sac which is the sac at the base of the lumber of the back where the nerve endings float around had bone growth in three places intertwined with the nerves.
The surgeon had to remove that bone growth which then left the sac vulnerable and later tore during his first couple days of recovery which then led to spinal fluid leaking into his body.
It was decided Wednesday morning that Andrew go back into the operating room for emergency surgery to repair the area.
The surgeon had to put in a patch by graph and suture the other areas but she is confident that this did the trick. There were three holes in the dura sac when she opened him back up. He was more fragile than once thought.
He had no leaking after she closed him up.
His neurological state was good during the surgery and they are hopeful that he will regain feeling in his left leg eventually with therapy.
He did have a CT scan of his head/brain to make sure there was no impact pressure from all of this as a precaution. The findings did show fluid but no hemorrhage. The fluid should dissipate over time.
He will have a drain in the surgical site for a week or so, flat on his back.
He will remain in the ICU for the remainder of his stay (which will be at least two weeks) in the hospital and then into rehab when he can tolerate standing.
He still does not have feeling in his left leg.
The surgeon did say he is not out of the woods yet in regards to things happening again. The next 48- 72 hrs will be telling.
This is going to be a long road to recovery for Andrew. Much longer than anticipated.
If I can be honest, they’re scared.
The outcomes and ability to produce income is uncertain.
The financial needs from burying a daughter and having an unexpected additional challenge with this surgery the next day puts them in a vulnerable position.
They are proud people, as they should be. They work hard, serve a lot of people and are not the type to express the need for support, but they need it.
We have a unique opportunity to show up for a person and a family who's shown up for us and their community.
We’re asking you for financial support. Any contribution raised will be used to pay Andrews medical bills, rehab costs, any medical equipment that has been recommended for their home for therapy/comfort as well as any wages lost from not being able to work. If there are additional funds those will go to pay the unexpected funeral costs and end of life expenses for Jordyn.
It’s difficult to express the gratitude for your consideration. I would hope that if you or are in a similar situation someone would step up and share your story.
I hope that you would take a moment to do what only you can do to participate in this sweet family story.
Thank you.
Jaclyn Walker and Sheila Rodriguez
When people hurt it exposes an opportunity to be reflective.
To think difficult thoughts.
What is happening?
Why are seemingly bad things happening to good people?
Why would God allow such a thing?
It exposes our own emotion for our own family, what if the shoe was on our foot?
How would I handle this?
What would I do?
What can I do?
A lot of the time we remain at a distance as a family endures unbelievable circumstances, feeling helpless. As I've been digesting the news about the Valona family I'm moved to encourage her to let people love her.
On Saturday the Valonas buried their young daughter Jordyn after a long battle with a very rare bone disease and two types of epilepsy. They were already feeling crushed by mounting financial needs.
Andrew and Arica own a successful small painting company in Gig Harbor, parents of athletes and have been in the Gig Harbor community since the 70’s.
Arica has had her hands full with trying to run the families small business, connect with clients, and now will be advocating for Andrew who will be recovering for months while the pair of them grieve the loss of Jordyn.
Managing all of this is more than one person or one family should be made to handle.
BACK STORY
Andrew has been managing his chronic back pain for a number of years. His occupation is very physically demanding. Financially he did not make himself a priority.
On Monday this came to a head when he finally went in to address the severe stenosis of the lower lumbar. In the past year he had began to have temporary paralysis in his legs which would cause him to collapse.
Surgery took quite a bit longer than anticipated due to the fact that Andrews dura sac which is the sac at the base of the lumber of the back where the nerve endings float around had bone growth in three places intertwined with the nerves.
The surgeon had to remove that bone growth which then left the sac vulnerable and later tore during his first couple days of recovery which then led to spinal fluid leaking into his body.
It was decided Wednesday morning that Andrew go back into the operating room for emergency surgery to repair the area.
The surgeon had to put in a patch by graph and suture the other areas but she is confident that this did the trick. There were three holes in the dura sac when she opened him back up. He was more fragile than once thought.
He had no leaking after she closed him up.
His neurological state was good during the surgery and they are hopeful that he will regain feeling in his left leg eventually with therapy.
He did have a CT scan of his head/brain to make sure there was no impact pressure from all of this as a precaution. The findings did show fluid but no hemorrhage. The fluid should dissipate over time.
He will have a drain in the surgical site for a week or so, flat on his back.
He will remain in the ICU for the remainder of his stay (which will be at least two weeks) in the hospital and then into rehab when he can tolerate standing.
He still does not have feeling in his left leg.
The surgeon did say he is not out of the woods yet in regards to things happening again. The next 48- 72 hrs will be telling.
This is going to be a long road to recovery for Andrew. Much longer than anticipated.
If I can be honest, they’re scared.
The outcomes and ability to produce income is uncertain.
The financial needs from burying a daughter and having an unexpected additional challenge with this surgery the next day puts them in a vulnerable position.
They are proud people, as they should be. They work hard, serve a lot of people and are not the type to express the need for support, but they need it.
We have a unique opportunity to show up for a person and a family who's shown up for us and their community.
We’re asking you for financial support. Any contribution raised will be used to pay Andrews medical bills, rehab costs, any medical equipment that has been recommended for their home for therapy/comfort as well as any wages lost from not being able to work. If there are additional funds those will go to pay the unexpected funeral costs and end of life expenses for Jordyn.
It’s difficult to express the gratitude for your consideration. I would hope that if you or are in a similar situation someone would step up and share your story.
I hope that you would take a moment to do what only you can do to participate in this sweet family story.
Thank you.
Jaclyn Walker and Sheila Rodriguez
Organizer and beneficiary
Sheila Rodriguez
Organizer
Gig Harbor, WA
Arica Valona
Beneficiary