Lynn was working at a grocery store, doing a carryout for an older customer, when the hatch from that SUV smashed down on top of her head. She sustained a traumatic brain injury and has been unable to work since that day in 2019. She’s had an extensive array of cognitive, balance, speech, visual, sensory, etc. issues, extreme fatigue as well as severe photophobia (light sensitivity) and sensitivity to sound. Her processing speed tested 15% of normal. Walking is very difficult as she consistently dips to the right side. She cannot stand for more than a few minutes at a time without great fatigue. Her central/peripheral vision is distorted to where her nervous system is always in “fight/flight” mode, overreacting to visual and auditory stimuli. The ongoing accumulation of environmental, visual, physical, auditory and cognitive factors exponentially decreases her capacity to function. This creates a “sensory and system overload” which can shut her down until her brain has time to recover. Interacting with life and accomplishing even basic activities of daily living continues to be a challenge on a multitude of levels.
Lynn is a very outgoing, positive and fun-loving person who jumps at the chance to help others. She enjoys kayaking and playing games with friends. Although she has many struggles, she still focuses on all there is for which to be grateful and is an encouragement to others. More than anything, her hope is to heal enough to return to work and be able to once again support herself.
Lynn was eventually diagnosed with Post Trauma Vision Syndrome and Visual Midline Shift Syndrome. While there have been many incremental improvements for which she is very grateful, she continues to have a plethora of ongoing and often debilitating symptoms. Her search has recently led her to the Mind Eye Institute in Chicago, where people with similar symptoms travel from around the world for treatment. During her most recent visit, she also learned root causes for the majority of her symptoms which affect her central nervous system and she was able to see new practitioners in the area. While this new information gives Lynn much hope, she’s found that local practitioners do not offer many of the services she requires and so she must continue to travel to Chicago to get the therapies she needs.
Lynn now gets SSDI disability, but she requires treatments by specialists who either don’t take insurance, or insurance does not cover those treatments so the burden of all of her treatments falls on her alone. Her out of pocket medical costs in 2022 were greater than her entire disability check for the year, nearly 60% in 2023 and she’s already incurred extensive medical expenses for 2024. She eats because she gets food stamps. She works hard to make progress but without these recommended medical treatments, it continues to be at a snail’s pace. More than anything, she wants to go back to work and to be able to function on her own but the capability for continued recovery is fading and she needs your help.
Please donate to Help Hope Live in Lynn’s honor today, and ask your friends and family to give as well. Lynn’s son would love to plan some fundraisers in Lynn’s honor, so if you are able to help with that, please contact him at [email protected] Thank you for your generous support — every little bit helps!
Please also consider sharing Lynn’s campaign with your social circles, as the momentum of spreading the word can create exponential growth.
Family and friends of Lynn Knutson are raising money for the nonprofit Help Hope Live to fund uninsured medical expenses associated with Catastrophic Injury.
Lynn 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!
