Dear Friends of Floyd and Rose.

On January 31st around 5:30 pm Floyd fell from a height and suffered serious injuries to his head, back, and chest. He was repairing a light in the cattle pen and using a pallet on the bale forks of his tractor loader as a work stand. As he was being positioned near the light, a hydraulic fitting failed causing the loader to drop. We do not know how he fell but his injuries indicate that he landed on his head with several fractures to his skull and back as well as broken ribs and sternum. Floyd was transferred to the Leon hospital and flown to Mercy hospital in Des Moines. He was in the Intensive Care Unit until Saturday when he was moved to the Progressive Care Unit. He has been able to talk with us throughout his recovery and is able to remember many details of his life before the fall, though he remembers nothing of the fall. We expect Floyd to be released to a rehab facility for physical therapy soon and we can choose where the therapy will be administered. Dad told me the other day, in a mystified tone, that he cannot understand how this happened. He felt he was doing the job in the safest way he could, and I believe him. He was scheduled to take Mom to her appointment in Iowa City to prepare her for radiation treatment the next day. Being there for her was very important to him.

In January Rose was diagnosed with a high-grade soft tissue Sarcoma on her leg. Both Floyd and Rose feel strongly that the University of Iowa Hospital is the best place for her to be treated. The cancer does not appear to have spread to any other areas leading us to believe that time is of the essence. She is scheduled to begin five weeks of radiation treatment on February 11th. Before the accident Floyd planned to drive her to and from Iowa City on weekends and help her there as needed. Of course, that has all changed and our plans for their care now consist of Floyd going to rehab in Iowa City so that Rose can visit him as she is able. We expect Floyd to be out of rehab before Rose finishes her radiation treatment and with the proper care, we want them to be together.

This is our need. Wendal and LaRhea have decided to temporarily move to Iowa City to provide a place for Rose and Floyd to stay during their respective treatment and recovery. Wendal and LaRhea can help them get to their appointments and with home therapy. We would like to utilize this fundraiser as a way for people to help with the Airbnb cost and the cost of some recliners for Floyd and Rose. If you are unable to donate, we understand but we wanted to make an option available if it’s on your heart to give.