Goal:
USD $20,000
Raised:
USD $3,150
Campaign funds will be received by Douglas Stryker
This fund is being established to help offset the hospital bills and burial expenses for Traci Stryker.
From her husband, Doug:
Traci was hospitalized on July 10 due to unexplained weakness and mental confusion. She was diagnosed with atypical pneumonia (aka "waking pneumonia"). After two weeks in the hospital on several rounds of antibiotics and other medical interventions, she was discharged to a physical rehabilitation facility on July to regain her mobility. But within one week at rehab, she contracted a urinary tract infection which quickly became sepsis. She was sent back to the ER at Methodist, where she was diagnosed with regular pneumonia and admitted to the ICU on Aug 1.
Within the first 24 hours in the ICU, her oxygen levels fell to a dangerous level and she had to be intubated on a ventilator. Doing so required her to be in medically-induced coma, which is where she remained until Aug 19, where they extubated her and gave her a tracheostomy for her attachment to ventilator (and eventually weaning off it). She awoke the next day as they began reducing the medications that were keeping her unconscious, but it wasn't until Aug 28 that she was actually awake and aware again. At this point, her liver and kidneys were beginning to fail so she required a port installed for CRRT hemodialysis. Throughout the next few weeks, Traci's mental state came and went from day to day as she required numerous treatments for different things that kept going wrong. Her liver, kidneys, and gall bladder were all in various states of failure, which kept her the ammonia levels in her blood at dangerous levels, resulting in fevers, further mental confusion, and involuntary muscle movements. The infection in her lungs kept returning and she got a horrific bedsore from her prolonged hospitalization despite the nursing staff's disciplined schedule of moving her in the bed, requiring numerous rounds of different antibiotics. Every day, it was torturous to see Traci's physical and mental condition deteriorate further. She never did full regain full mental lucidy after being intubated, nor was she able to speak or communicate.
By Sep 20, she had been on a ventilator for 8 weeks and things continued to get worse and require more interventions rather than less. She had developed a pseudomonas bacteria infection in her lungs as well as in her bedsore. (This new bacteria is extremely dangerous for patients who have serious issues like Traci's; it is a hemolytic pathogen that destroys healthy red blood cells). After many conversations with Traci's pulmonologist, cardiologist, nephrologist, and hospitalist as well as a great deal of prayer, I determined that we had arrived at the point that Traci and I had discussed years prior and both of us wanted to avoid: being stuck on machines to survive with no hope of recovery. So on Sep 21, we took her off the ventilator, CRRT machine, and all her IVs.
Traci went on to be with Jesus within 7 minutes.
Traci was cremated, per her wishes. There are numerous outstanding hospital and physician costs that need to be handled, and the cost for a burial plot is about $15,000. Any financial help would be greatly appreciated.
Brother, I wish I had more to give. We wish you the best, and Merry Christmas.
Prayers for you and family are being sent along with this gift.
I'm so terribly sorry for your loss, Doug. May her memory be a blessing.
Much love to you all.
Holding you and your family in my heart.
We are grieving with you and your family, Doug. You continue to demonstrate what a wonderful person you are in how you love and honor Traci. We are sorry for your loss. Sending prayers.
Praying for you.
I’m so sorry Doug
Sending love and comfort.
Love from Atlanta to a precious couple. I’m so sorry for your loss, Doug but we know we will all see her again one day. Praying for you and your family. Here for you brother.
So extremely sorry for your family’s loss Doug.
Follow this campaign to get email notifications when the campaign owner posts an update.
Click the Pray button to let the campaign owner know you are praying for them.