Leo Patnode

Leo Needs Your Help

As many of you know, our dear friend, Leo suffered a massive brain stem stroke during a procedure to repair a brain bleed in November of 2017. This brain bleed occurred during a routine gym visit while on a work trip in Arizona. Leo spent a month in ICU in Arizona and was finally air transported to Craig Rehab Hospital in December, where he stayed as an in patient for several months.

In April 2018, Leo was able to return home and continued to participate in intensive out patient therapy sessions 3 days a week at Craig. While living at home, he needed extensive home care support to assist in day to day functions and continued therapy work at home.

In September, doctors felt Leo could benefit the most by returning to a stroke rehabilitation center for intensive therapies to improve his strength and speech. He has been working hard since then, living full time in Omaha and will be returning to his home in Lafayette, CO sometime in late January to early February.

Upon Leo’s return to be with his family, he will need full-time home care which will be paid for entirely out of the Patnode’s pocket. As you can imagine, this expense is overwhelming and that is where this fundraising becomes so critical to provide the care Leo needs and to keep him safe in his home with his family.

At this time, Leo is still in a wheelchair and has paralysis on much of the left side of his body. Leo is making great progress and has improved his core strength and balance incredibly. He’s taking some steps with the support of his PT and a cane which is an incredible improvement from even just a few months ago when he couldn’t even stand himself up. Having said that, he still has a very long journey ahead and they are taking things one day at a time, as Leo’s needs and challenges keep changing. His speech is very slurred still and he’s got vision challenges as well as tremors in his right hand which is the one hand that is functioning fairly well.

Additional expenses to the home care include securing a recumbent tandem bicycle for Leo to continue his physical therapy on when he returns as well as an indoor recumbent exercise bike and other strength equipment suggested by his rehab doctors. Also, a physical therapist, personal trainer and speech therapist will need to be hired for regular sessions.

ANY DONATION YOU CAN MAKE will be greatly appreciated and will help so much in the long journey of recovery that still lies ahead for Leo, Dani and the boys. Please help us by sharing this link with any friends or family who may be interested in supporting Leo and his family.

Thank you for your love, support and generosity.

Leo 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!