The day that changed everything ... We help Mr. Radosław!

On 24 March, my mom called and said that my dad had a stroke, and an ambulance took him to the hospital. I felt as if someone put a knife in my chest. I was speechless. A moment later, I decided I would be strong and think positively. I told my mom to pack his basic stuff, including his glasses (he loves reading), and his watch (he doesn’t leave home without it). 

But dad will not need it for a long time…

He suffered from a left-sided ischemic stroke, which caused right-body hemiparesis and aphasia (he cannot speak and has difficulty understanding language). Due to swallowing difficulty, he is fed through a PEG tube. During his stay in the hospital, we received three phone calls a day from the doctors asking us to come immediately to say goodbye to my father. However, he put up a fight. He still does. Unfortunately, the Polish National Health Fund (NFZ) did not qualify him for a refundable 16-week-long early post-stroke rehabilitation program due to his low life expectancy… 

We had to search for help in commercial facilities. We found a rehabilitation center, but the monthly cost of treatment is very high—ca.20,000 Polish zlotys!  My dad requires physical therapy, assistance, neurological speech therapy, consultation with specialists, medications, and medical supplies for bedsores. He needs at least four months to regain his physical and mental abilities. The rehabilitation in the first year post-stroke offers the best results—the secret is to strain as much as possible. 

After spending 41 days in the neurology ward, dad was discharged from the hospital with a referral to a nursing home. We managed to pay for his 4-week-long stay. Currently, he’s been there for a couple of days, fighting for recovery. He is happy and finally smiling! He nods when we tell him he needs to fight to stay with us.

Let’s help him regain his abilities! 

Please support our fundraiser and donate for further rehabilitation. I wish my dad would speak again. I wish he didn’t feel trapped in his own body…

Thank you so much in advance.

Anna