Heidy’s Story

Site created on June 14, 2021

Welcome to our CaringBridge website. The main reason for establishing this site is for folks who want to sign up to visit Heidy.  Heidy currently has a tracheostomy and cannot use her voice.  However, when you visit in person, she communicates fairly well.  She is beginning to be able to text again, so she can type difficult words.  In-person visits are the best way to help Heidy keep her spirits up as she faces a very long and difficult recovery.


The Drake Center is located in Cincinnati.  Visiting hours are from 10 to 7.  A maximum of two people can visit per day, which is why it's important to schedule your visit through this site.  


Visitors should be fully vaccinated against Covid-19.  If you are unable to be vaccinated or choosing not to be vaccinated, please consider sending Heidy a card rather than visiting.  All visitors must wear masks when inside the Drake Center.  To schedule a visit, click on the Planner.


We especially need your help when family members will be out of town and unable to visit.  Heidy's mother and stepfather will be away from June 24 through 27, so that might be a great time to visit.


We will also use this site to to keep family and friends updated.  We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement. Thank you for visiting.

Newest Update

Journal entry by Alysoun Taylor-Hall

Hello everyone!  Welcome to Heidy's site.

On April 30, Heidy was admitted to UC Medical.  She was being evaluated for possible surgery when an alarming discovery was made.  Based on this alarming discovery, she has undergone a dizzying series of surgeries and procedures over the last 6 weeks.  Fortunately, all the corrective procedures have been completed.  Now she just needs to heal.

Unfortunately, during one of her surgeries, Heidy aspirated fluid from her stomach, causing a severe lung injury.  She was treated in the ICU at the main hospital for several weeks.  Today, she was transferred to the Drake Center to continue her recovery.

Heidy currently has a tracheostomy and cannot speak.  The Drake Center specializes in weaning patients off ventilators and getting them to where they can have their tracheostomies reversed, restoring their voices and returning them to more normal lives. 

Although Heidy cannot use her voice right now, she communicates very well through mouthing words, signing, and when necessary, texting difficult words.  When you see her and talk to her, you will see that although she has been sick and is recovering, she is the same Heidy she has always been.

This has already been a long and exhausting journey for Heidy, and she faces a long recovery.  We are asking those of you who know Heidy and can drive to Cincinnati to help lift her spirits by visiting.  With her friend John Hambrick away on a hiking adventure, her main visitors are her mother (me), her stepfather, and her father.  While we plan to continue regular visits, none of us can be there every day.  And there will be times when we must be out of town.  Plus she will get an extra lift from seeing someone she hasn't seen in a while.

To schedule a visit, please go to the Planner.  You can leave the time you plan to visit in the comments.

I will update you periodically on Heidy's progress.

Thank you for all of your love, support, and prayers.  Please continue to hold Heidy in your hearts.
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