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Hannah Coster raised £61,937.06 from 1512 supporters
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Closed 09/10/2020
Iʼve raised £61,937 to provide funding for adaptations for an independent life for Caroline Coster, sepsis survivor and quadruple amputee
- Bedford, Bedfordshire
- Funded on Friday, 9th October 2020
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Story
Caroline is a quadruple amputee and sepsis survivor who requires funding for vital equipment to ensure she can live a happy independent life. To learn more about her story and why we're asking for help, please read below.
On the 22nd of March, my mother, Caroline Coster came down with the symptoms of COVID-19. After a period of feeling extremely unwell, she started to feel better and was eventually able to start resuming normal activities. However, she soon started to feel unwell again and was diagnosed with a chest infection. Feeling worse and worse over the next few days, she phoned her doctor, who prescribed antibiotics and sent out an ambulance, who checked her over and said she was fine.
Things didn't get better. She got in touch with her preferred GP, who listened to her concerns and provided a different antibiotic. Crucially, this GP then phoned back two days later to hear how she was. Had she not done that, Caroline would be dead. On hearing her symptoms and that they weren't any better, her doctor sent her to A&E, where she was very quickly triaged down to critical care. She had developed sepsis, the body's over-reaction to an infection (in this case pneumonia) which causes your body to begin shutting down your organs and rapidly reduces blood flow.
Things got worse and worse, and our family endured a heart-wrenching few weeks where we were told twice that they were going to withdraw care if things didn't improve. However, Caroline showed small improvements, and the doctors refused to give up on her; one of them moved by an exchange they had with Caroline when she first came in. "Is there anything you do or do not want me to do?" one of them had asked her. Caroline said "I trust you to do the right thing to look after me." They couldn't give up on her yet.
After almost a full month in a medically induced coma, doctors performed a sedation hold, and miraculously, Caroline's kidneys, blood pressure and other vitals all started to heal. However, she had been unwell for such a long time that the combination of DIC caused by sepsis and vasopressors they had her on to redirect her limited blood flow to her brain and vital organs had caused her hands and feet to turn black and die. They were now a source of pain and a hindrance as she could not use them anymore, so had to be amputated.
Quickly, Caroline has come around to her new reality. She is at peace with the loss of her hands and feet, as they are not what make her the person she is, and has faced this challenge with a positivity and determination that few of us could match. She is looking forward to what the future brings and hopes down the line to return to her fundraising work for the Make a Difference Foundation, which funds women's businesses in Utange, Kenya, as well as a school for the disabled.
However, the reality is that she will require a huge amount of adaptations and specialised equipment in order to be able to live a normal, independent life, return to hobbies and stay in the home she loves. Sadly, public funding for many of the items we need is very limited.
Money raised will go towards lots of things, such as adaptations around the home to enable her to move around easily and reach objects, a phone that she can unlock with face recognition with a larger screen, a bathroom that she can use independently, private hand prosthetics and mobility aids. There are many more things that we cannot list as if we did, the list would be enormous and doubtless exclude things we haven't thought of yet!
To learn more about sepsis, you can visit the Sepsis Trust at https://sepsistrust.org/.
Updates
8
- 4 years ago
Hannah Coster
4 years agoHere's another thing your donations have enabled. Mum is due home in a couple of weeks and we've been able to make the essential changes for her to be able to be at home. One of these is the stairlift, installed today. Although her walking is coming on incredibly well, the huge effort required to get up and down stairs multiple times a day on them would be an enormous strain. The stairlift has a 'power hinge' so that it tucks out of the way and also a 'power swivel' so that it automatically turns at the top, enabling Mum to transfer smoothly.
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- 4 years ago
Hannah Coster
4 years agoWe wanted to share with you the difference your kind donations are making to Mum's life already. Obviously we have some major building work coming, but your donations have allowed us to buy tools without having to worry about the financial strain. This spoon allows Mum to feed herself. As she has lost the end of her arm, she has lost the ability to twist the end - as many of us do without thinking! This spoon auto balances as she moves, allowing her to keep the spoon level while feeding herself. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
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- 5 years ago
Hannah Coster
5 years agoWe can't thank everyone who has contributed enough. The money we've raised really makes a huge difference to what we can provide for Mum in the future, and the amount of care and assistance she will need to perform both the everyday and the more difficult tasks! I am part way through working through thanking everyone personally but it takes quite some time. If you want to keep updated with what Mum's doing, you can follow her Facebook page, a Journey of recovery, linked below. https://www.facebook.com/A-journey-of-recovery-101144594977314/
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Supporters
1512
Gill and Will
Oct 6, 2020
We wish you all the best in the future - your attitude is amazing, good luck in all you do
£25.00
Jody McFarlane
Oct 4, 2020
My Mum met your Mum at Jorden’s wedding. Such an amazing lady!
£20.00
Anonymous
Sep 21, 2020
Some local mums wanted to support.
£35.00
Anonymous
Sep 20, 2020
We are in awe of your positive attitude to your new situation. Please Google Open Bionics, who make fully working prosthetic hands by 3D printing – a truly wonderful organisation.
£20.00
Anonymous
Sep 17, 2020
You are amazing with everything you have achieved since Covid 19.
£10.00
Anonymous
Sep 10, 2020
£10.00
Rachel Cooper
Sep 10, 2020
Mrs Coster taught me back in Henlow Middle about 20yrs ago.What a stong inspirational woman.Sending lots of love to you and your family.
£50.00
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