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Debbie’s Story

Site created on September 23, 2019

My mom and dad took off to a 10-day bike ride in the Czech Republic and Austria with their good friends, Joe Florendo, and Albert and Jackie Balingit
They left on Sept 6th and started the bike ride about 5 days later, averaging 40 miles a day. On Sept 16th, she was riding toward the back of the pack. The person in front of her rode straight where he was supposed to turn right. In a moment of correction, she attempted to turn right and slammed on her front breaks, which propelled her, flying over her handlebars. Luckily the carrier truck was riding behind her, witnessed the event, and was able to assist her immediately.

Since then she has had 4 surgeries and 20 stitches. Her spleen, liver, and lung were ruptured; she has a fractured wrist, 3 broken ribs and some impairment in her shoulder. She was in the ICU for 8 days. She has been stuck in bed since then and is getting help from a physical therapist to learn to walk again.

The hospital is clean, the staff is nice, but there is a language barrier. Only a few doctors speak English and this barrier has made it a bit confusing to really understand all the things wrong in her body. The journey home entails, being released from the hospital staying in the town of Ceske Budejovice (2 hours outside of Prague), taking a train to Prague, rest for a few more days, and catching a first-class flight home, by Oct 14th. But all of this depends on her progress.

For the most part, she has been positive and stable, my dad has been a huge help, stay with her. We have been talking on the phone every day.

This is definitely the most major thing she has ever gone through - so all your thoughts and wishes are appreciated. Please try and share about your own life and make your responses unique! She appreciates the love but is also bored out of her mind so the more stories you can share the better.

Newest Update

Journal entry by Lorenzo Tamayo-Lee — Oct 15, 2019

"There's no place like home!"
"I arrived last Monday, Oct 7th. Celi took care of me for the first couple of days. We picked up all the foods I wanted to eat. I've had a string of visitors which has helped raise my spirits. Thank you for all of the food, flowers and phone calls. I'm up to take more phone calls! My cousin Lindy has been here two days which has been really helpful. I went to my crazy doctor who addressed a lot of issues, but I still need to meet with a physical therapist to figure out my recovery timeline. My dog Chaca has been at my side wondering why I'm not more active. :) "

Read More of the journal titled "October 15, 2019"

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