Help the Helper - Lori L Krueger
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Help the Helper
Lori is a person who would help those in need any time of the day or night in emergency medical services. For over 40 years she gave countless hours to help others as an EMT/ Paramedic. For almost 17 years, she has helped thousands as her job as a 911 dispatcher, a job she loved.
All that changed on September 20, 2020 when she had excruciating back pain. She became the patient in the ambulance that she worked with. She was admitted to the hospital and 3 days later, released but still with severe pain. The next day, she was back in the emergency room as the pain got worse and was admitted again. She rapidly declined. Lori’s best friend was with her each day and saw she was declining rapidly, and insisted she be transferred to a more advanced hospital. A paramedic service responded and needed to sedate and intubate her for the transport because of her condition.
Lori was taken directly to ICU and with testing, found she was in severe septic shock. An MRI found an epidural abscess and she was taken into emergency neurosurgery that night. At 2 am, the doctor called Lori’s friend and told her he didn’t think Lori would survive the night, and if she did, she probably wouldn’t walk again because he had found numerous pockets of infection around her spinal cord that went from her sacrum and up her spinal cord and into her brain. She was cut from L1-L5, washed out as much of the infection as possible and had numerous drains placed. Lori was diagnosed with Cauda Equina syndrome, which is a compression of the nerves in the lower back. Her kidneys stopped working; her heart was being affected, along with other organs. Lori spent the next days intubated and on a ventilator, fighting for her life. The tube was slowly removed when Lori was able to breath on her own. At this time, she moved a couple fingers and a toe on command. That was wonderful as we hoped she would have feeling in her arms and legs.
The next weeks she spent in the hospital and worked with physical therapy. Imagine her joy the first time she stood up with therapy at her side! The hospital suggested that she could be discharged to a nursing home….right in the middle of the COVID pandemic. Rather, Lori worked hard and her friend was able to get her into an inpatient rehab facility. Lori’s cognition was hindered and she didn’t really understand what happened…but she knew she was scared. One night while in the rehab facility, Lori hurt her shoulder. She is scheduled for more MRI’s and will be having shoulder surgery in the future to repair the damage. She continued to work as hard as she could through searing leg and foot pain, back and shoulder pain. But soon, she took her first steps. There was concern with the swelling and warmth in her knee, one that had a replacement done 3 years prior. It was dismissed as “normal” finding. A nursing home referral came up again. With COVID, Lori really wanted to go home, so her friend was able to get all the needed equipment at home; a Hoyer lift, hospital bed, wheelchair, walker, commode, etc. so she could care for Lori.
Several days after discharge, Lori returned to the hospital via ambulance with severe abdominal pain. Again, she was admitted to determine what was causing her pain. Diagnosis: COVID. More days in the hospital.
During November, they struggled thru the virus. In early December, they still felt something was wrong with her knee and pursued Lori’s infectious disease doctor to request an aspiration. He agreed and right after Christmas, it was determined that her knee replacement was infected. Because of her complex history, we requested to be referred to a higher-level hospital. Within six weeks, she had an extensive knee surgery. The surgeon stated that ‘the knee was a mess’ and very “complex”. Lori was unable to bear any weight on the leg for 6 weeks. Lori had a temporary articulating antibiotic spacer placed in the knee joint. She will need additional surgery to have the spacer removed and a permanent joint placed. She has been in in-home therapy learning to walk again, working on her balance, and work on endurance and fine motor skills.
Lori’s knee and back have been causing increased pain. Her surgeon immediately aspirated the knee. Labs showed bacteria had returned. She had another specialized aspiration and waiting on results. She also had more MRI’s and tests on her back as there is concern of the infection reoccurring in the spine. The tests have shown a large pocket of fluid, so she had that aspirated to be cultured, and is waiting for results.
Lori has not been able to work since September 2020. She spent over 2 ½ months in 4 different hospitals. Medical bills are skyrocketing. We do not know how much of her physical attributes she will get back. She is facing many months of rehab and was not able to return to work at this time. Lori was forced to make the decision to retire from her job as a dispatcher as her short-term benefits ended. With rehab and upcoming surgeries, Lori is facing a long road of rehab.
Lori does not ask for help but is the first one to offer to help others. Can you find it in your hearts to ‘’Help the Helper”? Any donation is greatly appreciated! Thank you for reading our story.
Lori is a person who would help those in need any time of the day or night in emergency medical services. For over 40 years she gave countless hours to help others as an EMT/ Paramedic. For almost 17 years, she has helped thousands as her job as a 911 dispatcher, a job she loved.
All that changed on September 20, 2020 when she had excruciating back pain. She became the patient in the ambulance that she worked with. She was admitted to the hospital and 3 days later, released but still with severe pain. The next day, she was back in the emergency room as the pain got worse and was admitted again. She rapidly declined. Lori’s best friend was with her each day and saw she was declining rapidly, and insisted she be transferred to a more advanced hospital. A paramedic service responded and needed to sedate and intubate her for the transport because of her condition.
Lori was taken directly to ICU and with testing, found she was in severe septic shock. An MRI found an epidural abscess and she was taken into emergency neurosurgery that night. At 2 am, the doctor called Lori’s friend and told her he didn’t think Lori would survive the night, and if she did, she probably wouldn’t walk again because he had found numerous pockets of infection around her spinal cord that went from her sacrum and up her spinal cord and into her brain. She was cut from L1-L5, washed out as much of the infection as possible and had numerous drains placed. Lori was diagnosed with Cauda Equina syndrome, which is a compression of the nerves in the lower back. Her kidneys stopped working; her heart was being affected, along with other organs. Lori spent the next days intubated and on a ventilator, fighting for her life. The tube was slowly removed when Lori was able to breath on her own. At this time, she moved a couple fingers and a toe on command. That was wonderful as we hoped she would have feeling in her arms and legs.
The next weeks she spent in the hospital and worked with physical therapy. Imagine her joy the first time she stood up with therapy at her side! The hospital suggested that she could be discharged to a nursing home….right in the middle of the COVID pandemic. Rather, Lori worked hard and her friend was able to get her into an inpatient rehab facility. Lori’s cognition was hindered and she didn’t really understand what happened…but she knew she was scared. One night while in the rehab facility, Lori hurt her shoulder. She is scheduled for more MRI’s and will be having shoulder surgery in the future to repair the damage. She continued to work as hard as she could through searing leg and foot pain, back and shoulder pain. But soon, she took her first steps. There was concern with the swelling and warmth in her knee, one that had a replacement done 3 years prior. It was dismissed as “normal” finding. A nursing home referral came up again. With COVID, Lori really wanted to go home, so her friend was able to get all the needed equipment at home; a Hoyer lift, hospital bed, wheelchair, walker, commode, etc. so she could care for Lori.
Several days after discharge, Lori returned to the hospital via ambulance with severe abdominal pain. Again, she was admitted to determine what was causing her pain. Diagnosis: COVID. More days in the hospital.
During November, they struggled thru the virus. In early December, they still felt something was wrong with her knee and pursued Lori’s infectious disease doctor to request an aspiration. He agreed and right after Christmas, it was determined that her knee replacement was infected. Because of her complex history, we requested to be referred to a higher-level hospital. Within six weeks, she had an extensive knee surgery. The surgeon stated that ‘the knee was a mess’ and very “complex”. Lori was unable to bear any weight on the leg for 6 weeks. Lori had a temporary articulating antibiotic spacer placed in the knee joint. She will need additional surgery to have the spacer removed and a permanent joint placed. She has been in in-home therapy learning to walk again, working on her balance, and work on endurance and fine motor skills.
Lori’s knee and back have been causing increased pain. Her surgeon immediately aspirated the knee. Labs showed bacteria had returned. She had another specialized aspiration and waiting on results. She also had more MRI’s and tests on her back as there is concern of the infection reoccurring in the spine. The tests have shown a large pocket of fluid, so she had that aspirated to be cultured, and is waiting for results.
Lori has not been able to work since September 2020. She spent over 2 ½ months in 4 different hospitals. Medical bills are skyrocketing. We do not know how much of her physical attributes she will get back. She is facing many months of rehab and was not able to return to work at this time. Lori was forced to make the decision to retire from her job as a dispatcher as her short-term benefits ended. With rehab and upcoming surgeries, Lori is facing a long road of rehab.
Lori does not ask for help but is the first one to offer to help others. Can you find it in your hearts to ‘’Help the Helper”? Any donation is greatly appreciated! Thank you for reading our story.
Organizer and beneficiary
Mary Zipperer
Organizer
Valders, WI
Lori Krueger
Beneficiary
