Support Abby’s Rehabilitation and Recovery

Story

Our beloved friends, the Friedman-Krantz family, are in the midst of a heartbreaking ordeal and they need our support.

On the morning of February 3rd, their daughter, Abby, went to work, had lunch, went to the gym, and got dinner with her boyfriend, Jake. When she came home and took a shower, she felt a sharp pain in her back and down her arms. Her hands began to go numb and then it quickly moved to her feet and legs. She lost all trunk control. She could move her upper arms a bit but she could not move her fingers or her legs. At all.

After being transported from the Cooley Dickinson Hospital ER to the Baystate Medical Center ER and then 11 days there with endless testing, it was determined that Abby suffered from a very rare (less than 1%) spinal stroke – the cause remains unclear. What is clear is that suddenly this vibrant and active 21 year-old UMass college senior — a dancer and an architect — lost the use of her lower arms, hands, legs — everything below her sternum.

After a two-month intensive inpatient program at Spaulding Rehab in Boston and a one-month out-patient program (also at Spaulding), Abby and her parents have just returned back to their home on Friday, May 9th.

This is welcome news, but also begins the next phase… figuring out rehab options, accessibility issues, and helping Abby remain as independent as possible.

Still, experts are unanimous that continued early and aggressive rehabilitation is crucial for spinal cord injury (SCI) recovery, with the most significant improvements often occurring within the first 12-18 months post-injury. Starting rehabilitation as soon as medically possible, even in the acute phase, is universally recommended for optimal outcomes. Abby’s best ongoing rehab option is a unique program called Journey Forward (JoFo), that specializes in spinal cord injuries. However, it is both private pay and two hours away- for Abby to get the care she needs it will cost upwards of 1,000 a week out of pocket.

That is before thousands of dollars in home renovations and specialized equipment. Additionally, there is lost income for her parents, Melysa and Stefanie, as they put Abby’s recovery front and center. We all hope that these efforts of recovery will allow Abby to regain her life as she knew it before that fateful morning but there is the chance that this family will have to figure this out for the long haul. That is why we have set the goal of this fundraiser at 50,000.

Melysa and Stefanie have been very hesitant to ask for financial help. They are deeply grateful for and humbled by ALL of the extraordinary ways people have already supported them, financially and otherwise. They are continuously applying for grants and assistance programs but the mounting costs of this gut-wrenching trial is becoming overwhelming.

Thankfully, Abby is 100% cognitively intact and remains the resilient and fierce person we know and love. She has been working relentlessly — and is making hard won incremental improvements. We are all envisioning a full recovery and if anyone can do it — Abby can.

But right now, the Friedman-Krantz’s need more than our positive visions – they need our monetary support. Any donation you can make will go directly to Abby’s care and will help relieve the financial burden of this crisis.

Organizers :

Elizabeth Dunaway is organizing this fundraiser on behalf of Abby Friedman-Krantz.