The Degidio Family

Father's Day 2022 was celebrated by a short road trip from our home in St Paul, MN, to a unique bike trail in Wisconsin for a family biking adventure.  Unfortunately, the day ended in tragedy.  After a family bike ride, Jason's heart stopped.  EMT's were onsite but because we were so remote, Jason had to be air-lifted to the closest major hospital in La Crosse, WI.  While in the Emergency Room trying to figure out why Jason went into cardiac arrest, he also suffered a heart attack.  With all of the trauma and the lack of oxygen to his brain due to the time spent getting him to the hospital, Jason suffered a hypoxic brain injury. 
Jason has been in La Crosse, WI since June 19th, 2022.  He had 2 weeks in the ICU and has spent the remainder of the time in the Neurology floor.  Jason has had ups and downs with medical challenges that arise.  Jason's wife has been going between St Paul, MN, to care for their 8 year-old son and La Crosse, WI, to be with Jason.  The drive is 2.5 hours each way.  We have been trying to transfer him back to the Twin Cities but due to no beds available, we are now focused on making him medically stable so he can be discharged and placed in a long-term care facility here in the cities. 
Jason's biggest hurdle now is his brain injury.  He currently only knows his name.  He doesn't retain information told to him.  He doesn't remember any family or friends.  He is constantly confused.  He speaks but it doesn't make sense.  We are told that the swelling in his brain needs time to go down and then we will see where his new baseline will be.  This could take up to a year or Jason may never get past the cognitive point he is currently in.