03/02/2026 - A Quick Recap and Fundraiser Update

 

Hello, you wonderful humans! 

It was brought to my attention that many people don't understand what happened to Path. Which is totally fair because it's really overwhelming, and when I first started this fundraiser page, none of us actually understood what happened. I'll be honest, I'm still trying to wrap my head around it! So, here's my attempt at a quick recap. 

On Dec 2, 2024, Path (age 16) had a stroke while at school.

We didn't know it was a stroke at the time. All we knew was that she had a migraine, then she fell unconscious and stopped breathing. She was rushed to the ER, then to Bronson. The following day, surgeons performed brain surgery to remove the AVM. (Arteriovenous Malformation, also known as an AVM, is a tangle of blood vessels that creates irregular connections between arteries and veins) Until this dreadful December day, no one knew about the AVM, which hemorrhaged and caused Path to have a stroke. The surgery went well but Path suffered severe brain trauma due to the stroke, and lost ALL ability to function.

While she has made a lot of progress over the last 15 months, she is still bound to a bed or wheelchair and unable to care for herself  - she can't even speak. (She can, however, read.) It is equally hopeful and heart breaking knowing that she is very much IN THERE! Path is fully capable of understanding what is going on. She's now 17 years old, doesn't have a voice, and she is trapped inside a body that doesn't work. And she has chronic pain.

Most recently, surgeons inserted a Baclofen pump that distributes medication directly into Path’s spine. This medication will continue to reduce the high level of muscle tension and pain that she has and allow her to begin to learn how to move her arms and hands. This has helped relieve her muscle spasms and reduce pain, which has given her a lot more flexibility and ability to move! 

In the background of taking care of Path, there are constant issues with insurance. Primary insurance has repeatedly gone against the wishes of her medical team by denying her return to the Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital, Path is also in limbo with Medicaid, and a decision to approve her application is pending. The goal of trying to raise an additional $42K is to provide Path with three additional weeks at Mary Free Bed - to continue to work on healing enough to start (hopefully) eating food. To learn how to speak again. To begin to confidently move her arms and hands. To build on the progress she has fought so hard for this past year. 

I hope this helps to clear up any confusion.

Donations can be made on Spotfund: http://spot.fund/m88mz1sc
or Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/path_appl

Thank you, again, to everyone who has donated so far! Please keep sharing!

- Lydia