Some of you may know Louis, some of you not. Those that do know him, have witnessed his self-less and generous nature. Being around him was to feel safe, to be loved unconditionally, and experience his optimism, joy, incredible intelligence, and unwavering faith. His mission was to be of help in any way he could, to provide especially for his family and those in need. We have made it this far because of the community that has chosen to surround our family during the last two years. But we are still drowning in so many ways, and ask for your continued support as Louis continue’s his recovery from a traumatic brain and spinal cord injury.
We have chosen Help Hope Live as they are a non-profit specifically for traumatic accidents. The donations are not taxed and thus won’t interfere with Medicaid. Help Hope Live assures fiscal accountability of funds raised and tax deductibility for contributors – they pay out our medical expenses directly. Also, they help us with outreach. This injury is too much for our small family to overcome, but I admit it is also too much of a financial burden for the immediate community to overcome. We need this campaign to reach far, so please share.
THE ABRIDGED STORY:
At 74 my father “retired.” But instead of permanently fixing the 10-yr roof leak in the house he decided to lease a small store in Berwyn, PA. He hoped to make it a community market/gift shop with local artisans and organic goods. He even sold veggies from his garden – the abundance of which fed many neighbors along with potatoes and onions to last the entire winter. This was his retirement plan, so that my mother and him could travel more extensively. At 75 he was extremely vital in health, and you could find him bodysurfing in the ocean on vacation one weekend.
On Sunday September 13th, a wave took him as he came to shore. It broke his neck, his spine, his hip, knocked some teeth out and gave him a concussion. He was immediately paralyzed from the chest down. He was on a ventilator and in hospital-induced-psychosis for many months. He suffered from malnutrition, muscle atrophy, sepsis, and antibiotic resistant infections after his numerous surgeries. We were with him every hour of every single day. I read thousands of pages of medical textbooks and research. We advocated in every way we could. His youthful vitality saved his life, but his age and severity of injury led some doctors to disregard him. With Covid in the mix, Louis did not get his best chance. He is in more pain today because of the mismanagement of the original ICU.
He came out of delirium when we got him to Magee Rehab Hospital. He came awake with all his gusto and energy and optimism of overcoming the injury. But insurance had other plans. They didn’t allow the specialized rehab past a few weeks, and he was sent to a nursing home where he was isolated and bedridden. After 7 facilities, he came home on April 1st, 2021. My mother and I went 10 months being the primary caregivers, and even now (Summer 2022) only have semi-reliable help in the home.
MEDICAL CONDITION:
Louis suffers from
-a complete Spinal Cord Injury at the T3 level resulting in loss of motor and sensory from the chest down.
-A mTBI (minor traumatic brain injury) resulting in short-term memory loss, loss of focus, reading and auditory incomprehension, inability to meter time, among other affects.
-Severe odontoid fractures in the cervical spine resulting in a fusion from C1-C4. He has lost most range in his neck and his shoulder mobility is at 50%. He suffers from severe pain in his left shoulder.
-Secondary conditions retained included eczema, melancholy, loss of bowel and bladder control and frequent UTI’s from an indwelling catheter, inability to handle finances, insurance claims, etc.
HOW YOUR DONATIONS HELP:
1. Home. My father built our house in the 1980’s, and the unique architecture does not provide for accessibility renovations. My father does not have access to water in this house. His bed is in the dining room with little room for adaptive technologies. My parents need to move, but our house isn’t being quoted for much. The market is steep for buying at the moment, and the renovations are an added cost. The renovations would include: Hoyer Lift for transferring my father from bed to chair to bath. Accessible Restroom, Accessible kitchen with appliances and height-specific eating/working area, accessible outdoor area.
2. Therapy. This includes: Alternative therapies like Herbalism, Myofascial Muscular-Skeletal Therapy, and alternative pain therapies. Cutting edge spinal cord treatments like Stem Cells. In-home equipment like the Myocycle. Intensive outpatient programs that don’t work with Medicare.
3. Ongoing Medical Expenses and Quality of Life. Unfortunately the healthcare system is not built for a traumatic accident. It does not provide the best care for my father, and my mother is involved with mountains of paperwork that come in the mail daily. My mother’s income + my father’s social security is not enough to to cover household bills, food, and medical necessities each month. Their savings will deplete quickly.
THANK YOU:
Thank you for joining this community. Thank you for holding us together. Thank you for making a difference in our lives. Thank you for your generosity. Our small family is changed forever. My father, forever a teacher, is looking forward to the next adventure, to accepting what life brings and being able to turn it into something good, kind, and meaningful. My mother, forever strong, is grieving her dreams, and having faith to find a way through. I, continuing a path in the arts and academia, am aiming to step into the role of provider.
Family and friends of Louis Cutillo are raising money for the nonprofit Help Hope Live to fund uninsured medical expenses associated with Catastrophic Injury.
Louis has chosen to fundraise for Help Hope Live in part because Help Hope Live assures fiscal accountability of funds raised and tax deductibility for contributors. Contributors can be sure donations will be used to pay or reimburse medical and related expenses. To make a tax-deductible donation to this fundraising campaign, click on the Give button.
For more information, please contact Help Hope Live at 800.642.8399.
Thank you for your support!
