Support Wesley Swanson's Recovery

The Incident.

Just before Christmas 2023, Wesley Swanson was rushed to the emergency room fighting for his life.  Emergency room doctors identified a mass in his skull, the origin of which was unknown.  While waiting his condition continued to deteriorate.  In critical condition he was life flighted to the SNICU at the University of Iowa where a battery of tests, identified a bacterial infection had made it into the spaces between Wesley's brain and skull, putting pressure on his brain causing a variety of traumas the aftermath of which would include aphasia, muscular weakness, memory loss, motor skill dysfunction and others.  Following surgery and several weeks in recovery, Wes returned home.

Round Two.

After coming home to start the recovery process, Wes was making progress, finding his strength, his voice, and his way through the difficult path before him.  Unfortunately, a week after his return home Wesley was again found weak and barely responsive in his home.  He was rushed immediately back to the University of Iowa where it was identified that the shunt installed during his first visit had malfunctioned and was not regulating pressure correctly.  This increase in pressure further injured his brain amplifying the motor impairment, aphasia, and memory damage from his first infection. To make matters worse, he also tested positive for COVID. 

After three weeks in recovery and two weeks in physical rehabilitation, Wesley was deemed fit to return home, although the decision was made to secure him a safe place to recover until he was able to make a full return both mentally and physically.

Wesley is recovering well now, but the family needs some help financially.

A fixture of my childhood.

My name is Tim Schrock.  I am Wesley's eldest nephew.  In my childhood, I spent a great deal of time near and around my Uncle as he tended the family farms in Preemption, IL.  A large portion of my formative years was spent between the two family farms, helping sow, cultivate, and harvest crops.  I hold a great deal of those memories very close to my heart.  Wes taught me how to drive a tractor; how to harvest with a combine; how to drive a truck; the finer points of slinging bales of hay.  How to eagerly waving to my Dad down on the auction floor almost bought us a pig!  His wisdom taught me to value all living things, even the bugs, because we all have value and we all play a part.  He helped instill in me the value of selfless service to family, friends, and a community; to go help people in need even if you don't have much to give yourself.  Duty without complaint: resolute, steadfast loyalty, and faith in the system that if you did right by your higher power and your family that you were a good person.  A man of God, Wes spent a great deal of time serving at the United Methodist church in a variety of capacities.  While Wes has no children of his own, his lessons were directed toward my sister, half-brother, and I as if we were his children too.  It really does take a village to raise the children and he is very much a part of my tribe.

The Problem.

Wesley's situation is quite difficult.  He has been placed into assisted living to help him recover.  We hope that this is only temporary, but the problem is that the road to recovery from injuries like this is long and often costly.  While we hold faith that he will recover, we can't be sure of how successful his recovery nor the rate by which he will recover.  This places significant financial burden on the family, as Wesley and my mother Lisa, have shared the financial responsibility for my elderly grandmother Marie, who is also in assisted living.  My mother's income alone will not support three.  Without my Uncle's regular income, the family farm, my grandmother's care, and subsequently Wesley's care are in jeopardy.

A Humble Plea.

This humble fundraiser is asking for any financial donations to help offset the cost of Wesley's medical bills, recovery, and initial housing costs.  In turn, this aid will help keep the farm afloat long enough that we can enact a proper plan for it to continue to support the family.  We affirm that fundraising and crowdfunding is not a long term solution.  We are actively developing a plan to pull ourselves up.  Please help us battle back from this setback.  Thank you for your time and your contributions.