HELP TERESA REBUILD HER LIFE
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As some of you know my Aunt Teresa was in a horrific car accident earlier this year. Her truck flipped multiple times and she was ejected onto the freeway. She is a very private person and did not share too much with very many people. However, with her permission, the time has come to share her story...and ask for your help.
On May 18th I got the call that she had been in a terrible auto accident. No other details were provided and as we raced from Seattle to the Emergency Room at Kadlec Hospital in Richland, WA our worst fears flooded over us. Her sisters arrived a few minutes before Bob Adair, her big brother and I, arrived. As we gazed in shock at the unrecognizable figure in the bed, we knew she was on life support. Within a very short time, one of the surgeons came in and told us as gently as he was able, that this roll-over accident was simply not survivable; Teresa had a shattered and twisted pelvis, all her left ribs and shoulder blade were broken, her diaphragm was ripped, she had a punctured lung, massive internal bleeding, multiple damaged organs, failing kidneys and her ruptured spleen had been removed. He went on to explain that even if she didn’t pass away within the next few minutes or hours that all her organs were going to eventually shut down one by one. Tears well in my eyes as write this reliving the gut punch feeling of despair. All of us holding her hands, petting her hair, crying…horrified. The room was clean filled with bright light, the staff and nurses were so kind, but I kept staring at the blood splashed up under her bed, a testament to the incredible fight these doctors and nurses had undertaken to save her. This was it for Teresa, she would die here in this hospital bed. Her worst nightmare! Those of you who know Teresa know that she avoids doctors at all costs.
I looked in her eyes and there was no light left…maybe the tiniest spark down deep, but she seemed to have already passed over to the other side...BUT Teresa is a warrior! Somehow, she held onto the thinnest silken, thread of life. She didn’t die that night or the next. Family and friends stayed with her 24/7 and encouraged her for the next 2 weeks. During those first 2 weeks, she endured incredibly dangerous surgeries to stop the internal bleeding, pin her shattered pelvis back together. Finally 13 days post-accident they were able to close her abdomen. She was in a medically induced coma because even letting her endure this pain would have been beyond cruel. She squeezed my hand a few times and tears fell out of the corners of her eyes when I told her she was going in for the pelvic surgery. I knew then that Teresa was still with us. She understood and she was FIGHTING!
And a what fight is has been! We found out later she had received nearly 100 units of blood plus plasma. Kadlec Hospital shut down their ER to all other patients for most of that weekend; she drew down the blood banks for all of Eastern Washington. Her collapsed lung got infected, she contracted MERSA, the impact injuries to her left side turned to ulcers and bed sores. Her kidneys shut down, her heart struggled, her liver was on the edge, machines breathed for her, medicine kept her pain at bay. But she fought on! When she finally came to, she couldn’t talk as she was still intubated (breathing & feeding tube). Then they moved her to Seattle. Where they discovered the wounds on her back had tunneled deep into her tissues. The surgeons here did magic mending her back together.
When August came, she needed to go to a rehab center for ongoing wound care and physical therapy. However, her insurance would not cover the cost. Teresa remained in a single hospital room with excellent medical care but they just weren’t able to provide the physical therapy or any way of allowing her to get up and get some fresh air. I saw her spirit faltering. As she put it “It’s like I have been sent to jail, but I didn’t do anything wrong.” Luckily one her doctors came in while I was there and told me she will be here for months unless we were willing to learn to care for the wounds on her back. If we assumed this responsibility, she could go home and get out-patient care and the rehabilitation she so desperately needed. So, Bob and I got our first lesson in wound care and Teresa came “home” to our house a few days later.
Wow! That is the roller coaster we have been on! Teresa was in far more pain than I had realized. Getting her into the right doctors was a red tape mess. We ended up at the ER several times. But through it all Teresa had such spirit. We found an amazing doctor. Incredible nurses came to the house to help with her wounds, encourage her, taught her how to adjust to this new life. She has progressed from being bed-ridden for 3 months to sitting up, to a wheel chair, to a walker, and even a little walking with a cane. One painful step at a time Teresa has fought to continue her story...
Now, comes the hard part. She is embarrassed by this, but she needs YOUR help. Simply put, she has zero income. Her only asset was the truck that was totaled in the accident. At this time, it is unclear if, or when, she will be strong enough to return to work. Due to her ongoing medical needs, wound care and weekly doctor visits, she still needs my help daily. Sharing a room with my five-year-old Denton and living in our house is not a great long-term solution. But, what would be a viable start to rebuilding her independence would be for her to live in a small camp trailer on our property. We have a spot. We have RV hook-ups. We are committed to continuing to help her. If she had a camper to call her own, her own private space next to our house, she could have her two small dogs, Bandit and Paca, back to comfort her; she loves those sweet little dogs like her own children. (They are currently being cared for by a friend who cannot keep them for much longer). If she had a home of her own, I KNOW she could start to rebuild her physical body and her independence into this new normal.
If you can help with a contribution towards this more permanent housing for Teresa our plan is to purchase a used camper trailer. We’ve identified that a used, but functional unit should cost just under $10K. The remainder of any funds raised should be enough to move it to our property, buy the odds and ends to get her hooked up to our water and electric system, and fencing for her dogs (Bandit & Paca). This will give her the dignity of having a place to call home. So that she has her “own” space while allowing me to continue overseeing her care and rehab.
Teresa wasn’t meant to die in the dirt on the side of the freeway that day, not on the operating table, and not in that hospital bed – she was meant to LIVE and contribute to this world – YOU can help her to do so! Please be a part of creating her story going forward – YOU can help her to LIVE her best life now. If you are able to help in even the smallest way, a little here and there, will help rebuild her LIFE. If you aren’t able to contribute funds to help Teresa rebuild her life, please pass this GoFundMe on to your friends and Facebook groups. Also, please donate blood – life can change in a split second and by paying it forward, you could save lives! Thank you!
On May 18th I got the call that she had been in a terrible auto accident. No other details were provided and as we raced from Seattle to the Emergency Room at Kadlec Hospital in Richland, WA our worst fears flooded over us. Her sisters arrived a few minutes before Bob Adair, her big brother and I, arrived. As we gazed in shock at the unrecognizable figure in the bed, we knew she was on life support. Within a very short time, one of the surgeons came in and told us as gently as he was able, that this roll-over accident was simply not survivable; Teresa had a shattered and twisted pelvis, all her left ribs and shoulder blade were broken, her diaphragm was ripped, she had a punctured lung, massive internal bleeding, multiple damaged organs, failing kidneys and her ruptured spleen had been removed. He went on to explain that even if she didn’t pass away within the next few minutes or hours that all her organs were going to eventually shut down one by one. Tears well in my eyes as write this reliving the gut punch feeling of despair. All of us holding her hands, petting her hair, crying…horrified. The room was clean filled with bright light, the staff and nurses were so kind, but I kept staring at the blood splashed up under her bed, a testament to the incredible fight these doctors and nurses had undertaken to save her. This was it for Teresa, she would die here in this hospital bed. Her worst nightmare! Those of you who know Teresa know that she avoids doctors at all costs.
I looked in her eyes and there was no light left…maybe the tiniest spark down deep, but she seemed to have already passed over to the other side...BUT Teresa is a warrior! Somehow, she held onto the thinnest silken, thread of life. She didn’t die that night or the next. Family and friends stayed with her 24/7 and encouraged her for the next 2 weeks. During those first 2 weeks, she endured incredibly dangerous surgeries to stop the internal bleeding, pin her shattered pelvis back together. Finally 13 days post-accident they were able to close her abdomen. She was in a medically induced coma because even letting her endure this pain would have been beyond cruel. She squeezed my hand a few times and tears fell out of the corners of her eyes when I told her she was going in for the pelvic surgery. I knew then that Teresa was still with us. She understood and she was FIGHTING!
And a what fight is has been! We found out later she had received nearly 100 units of blood plus plasma. Kadlec Hospital shut down their ER to all other patients for most of that weekend; she drew down the blood banks for all of Eastern Washington. Her collapsed lung got infected, she contracted MERSA, the impact injuries to her left side turned to ulcers and bed sores. Her kidneys shut down, her heart struggled, her liver was on the edge, machines breathed for her, medicine kept her pain at bay. But she fought on! When she finally came to, she couldn’t talk as she was still intubated (breathing & feeding tube). Then they moved her to Seattle. Where they discovered the wounds on her back had tunneled deep into her tissues. The surgeons here did magic mending her back together.
When August came, she needed to go to a rehab center for ongoing wound care and physical therapy. However, her insurance would not cover the cost. Teresa remained in a single hospital room with excellent medical care but they just weren’t able to provide the physical therapy or any way of allowing her to get up and get some fresh air. I saw her spirit faltering. As she put it “It’s like I have been sent to jail, but I didn’t do anything wrong.” Luckily one her doctors came in while I was there and told me she will be here for months unless we were willing to learn to care for the wounds on her back. If we assumed this responsibility, she could go home and get out-patient care and the rehabilitation she so desperately needed. So, Bob and I got our first lesson in wound care and Teresa came “home” to our house a few days later.
Wow! That is the roller coaster we have been on! Teresa was in far more pain than I had realized. Getting her into the right doctors was a red tape mess. We ended up at the ER several times. But through it all Teresa had such spirit. We found an amazing doctor. Incredible nurses came to the house to help with her wounds, encourage her, taught her how to adjust to this new life. She has progressed from being bed-ridden for 3 months to sitting up, to a wheel chair, to a walker, and even a little walking with a cane. One painful step at a time Teresa has fought to continue her story...
Now, comes the hard part. She is embarrassed by this, but she needs YOUR help. Simply put, she has zero income. Her only asset was the truck that was totaled in the accident. At this time, it is unclear if, or when, she will be strong enough to return to work. Due to her ongoing medical needs, wound care and weekly doctor visits, she still needs my help daily. Sharing a room with my five-year-old Denton and living in our house is not a great long-term solution. But, what would be a viable start to rebuilding her independence would be for her to live in a small camp trailer on our property. We have a spot. We have RV hook-ups. We are committed to continuing to help her. If she had a camper to call her own, her own private space next to our house, she could have her two small dogs, Bandit and Paca, back to comfort her; she loves those sweet little dogs like her own children. (They are currently being cared for by a friend who cannot keep them for much longer). If she had a home of her own, I KNOW she could start to rebuild her physical body and her independence into this new normal.
If you can help with a contribution towards this more permanent housing for Teresa our plan is to purchase a used camper trailer. We’ve identified that a used, but functional unit should cost just under $10K. The remainder of any funds raised should be enough to move it to our property, buy the odds and ends to get her hooked up to our water and electric system, and fencing for her dogs (Bandit & Paca). This will give her the dignity of having a place to call home. So that she has her “own” space while allowing me to continue overseeing her care and rehab.
Teresa wasn’t meant to die in the dirt on the side of the freeway that day, not on the operating table, and not in that hospital bed – she was meant to LIVE and contribute to this world – YOU can help her to do so! Please be a part of creating her story going forward – YOU can help her to LIVE her best life now. If you are able to help in even the smallest way, a little here and there, will help rebuild her LIFE. If you aren’t able to contribute funds to help Teresa rebuild her life, please pass this GoFundMe on to your friends and Facebook groups. Also, please donate blood – life can change in a split second and by paying it forward, you could save lives! Thank you!
Organizer
Cloe Nuckols
Organizer
Carnation, WA