Natasha’s Story

Site created on January 15, 2024

This nightmare started when Natasha became very ill with what they think was influenza. She went into the ER on 12/31. She was given  fluids, and they sent her home, telling her there’s a lot of illnesses going around and to go home and rest. She couldn’t even keep water down…. The next day, Will brought her back in the ER. They waited in the ER for a few hours. Tash started to feel really off, walked up to the counter, started seizing, fell, hit her head and went into cardiac arrest. They did CPR while also trying to intubate her. She was being revived for nearly 15 minutes. She fell into a coma. They kept her sedated and in the coma for about 12 more hours and then started to ween her off, thinking she would wake up. She did not. Each passing day, things seemed more bleak, yet all scan seemed to be ok. The MRI of her brain showed very little anoxic brain damage. 

They decided to do a tracheotomy on 1/11 because this was looking like it may be long term. About two hours after her tracheotomy was complete, she opened her eyes and smiled at her mom! It was the best surprise we could have received!  We were advised to stay cautiously optimistic as the road ahead would be long.

Newest Update

Journal entry by Cassie Erickson

Natasha has been going through a challenging time, but there are moments of hope shining through.

On January 24th, I learned that Natasha had a really good day. She was calm and attentive, following all the commands and instructions given to her. 

Over the weekend, Tash got to see Dakota and was talking and smiling with him. She asked some funny questions of Will and generally had an uneventful weekend.

On January 30th, Natasha was awake and in an incredibly positive mood and the best part was that she was sitting up in bed all on her own, without any assistance. Natasha was talking, sitting, and smiling. However, there were moments where Natasha seemed confused, struggling to remember certain things. But we remain hopeful that time will bring back those missing memories. Right now, what Natasha needs most is rest for her brain. Despite the challenges, we couldn't help but celebrate the fact that Natasha continues to move one step closer.

However, on January 31st, Natasha had a difficult day. She often gave a blank stare and mumbled incoherently. It was truly heart-wrenching for her mom and dad to witness. 

Unfortunately, things took a turn for the worse. On February 1st, Natasha was not doing well. Her arms and legs were strapped down, and she was talking nonsense. It was heartbreaking for Peggy & Junior to see her like this. Natasha didn't even recognize her own parents. It was the worst we had ever seen her, and it brought everyone to tears.

But we remained hopeful and proud of Natasha's fighting spirit. 

On February 2nd, they discovered the root of Natasha's most recent problems. It turns out that her medication was causing all the difficulties she experienced. They had made a change that had a negative impact on her well-being. However, there's good news. The medical team switched her back to her previous medication. Natasha finally found relief and was able to fall asleep peacefully, resting and recovering.

Yesterday was a month since all of this started. The road to recovery is going to be long and challenging. The next step is to find a long-term facility where Natasha can receive the specialized rehabilitation she needs. 

We want to express our deep gratitude for all the prayers, love, and support we've received.
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