Equine WellBeing Rescue, Inc.: April 2013

UPDATE: 4-11-2013
Over the last two days we were able to deposit $230 into the accounts for Kristen's Recovery which was enough donations to help with health maintenance items like vaccines and dewormer for the horses in addition to at least one hoof trim for each horse. We want to extend a big thanks to Marta Zarella who worked with us to facilitate the fundraiser and donations from Lucy Gonzalez, Michele Kanter, Jennifer Schroeder, Nina Reid and the Griffin family. I also want to thank Cheryl Erpelding, Alicia Anthony and Kim Miller at California Riding Magazine who read our blog and are going to mention Kristin's needs in the May issue.

FUNDRAISER FOR KRISTIN'S ANIMALS 4-2-12

Having had two horse riding accidents myself and one where I needed an ambulance ride to the ER, this hits home with me. By the grace of God I was not hurt badly. I recovered without spending anytime in the hospital and my recoveries were weeks, not many, many months. My heart goes out to Kristin, Joe (her fiance), her family and friends for all they are going through to help and support Kristin.

Kristin Heinecke shows her love for horses

Please help us raise funds to feed and care for the horses and other animals that Kristin loves so much while she is on her very long road to recovery from a very traumatic head injury.

Kristin has no health insurance and funds are being raised to help with medical expenses through other fundraisers, we would like to help raise funds for the on going needs of her family animals. She and her fiance Joe, recently moved into a house in Ramona with all their animals. Over the next many, many months her animals will need food and health care so any donations to help with those expenses so the animals can all stay home and be there when she finally gets out of the hospital will be greatly appreciated. Here is her story:

Feb 23, 2013

EMT's taking Kristin to the helicopter taking her to Palomar Hospital

Copied from the Kristin's Recovery post on Facebook. "A lot of people have been asking, what happened to Kristin? In the photo, you can see the EMTs carrying Kristin on the stretcher to the Medevac helicopter waiting just beyond the field of view.

On Saturday, February 23rd, Kristin and her fiancée Joe were having a late morning ride on their horses. They live in a beautiful part of North San Diego County, in a community designed for horses, with trails meandering throughout the town. Soon after they moved in this past November, Kristin told me about her and Joe dropping off cookies to the neighbors to introduce themselves, of course, all done on horseback.
But on this particular day, fate had something entirely different in store. During that ride, her horse became spooked and ran off at full speed, with Kristin literally holding on for dear life. Joe took off in pursuit and when he came around the bend, he found Kristin unconscious, in a bloody heap.

Joe applied first aid and soon, the EMTs showed up and airlifted Kristin to the hospital, where they determined she had a fractured skull and immediately began a four-hour surgery to repair the damage.
The doctors found that roughly half of her skull was damaged and removed a third of it in surgery, in order to manage the swelling. The neurosurgeon said this was the most severe head injury you could every sustain and still survive.

Happily, today (March 11), she sat up and brushed her teeth, talked and continues on her miraculous recovery. She is still in critical but stable condition, still in the ICU, and has several more surgeries to go before she can be fit to recover. We have no idea what condition that will leave her in, but she is so far talking, more and more alert and thankfully, she is now reporting being able to see, although we don't know what she sees or how well."

Joe at Kristin's bedside at Palomar Hospital

"4-2 from Stu (Kristin's brother) -- Kristin continued her amazing march toward recovery today, gaining more and more strength, achieving greater clarity, and moving though her physical therapy exercises with greater ease. Her doctor says it may be just a matter of a few weeks before she is able to return home with Joe, based on her progress. But she still has the surgery to replace fully one third of her skull yet... still so far to go. Thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers!"

In the past few days Joe's job as an independent contractor was ended due to cut backs of Sequestration, so help is needed now more than ever. There are ongoing fundraising efforts to help with her medical and other bills through Wells Fargo. EqWBR immediately donated hay with the help of Jen Baker (Baker Ranch Equine Rescue), as have others in and around the community of Ramona, but the horses need to keep their hooves trimmed, the animals will need vaccines, dewormers, other typical health care needs and food over the long haul so we would like to offer people the opportunity to help.

Over the Easter weekend we started a fundraiser. Please click here
if you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to help. EqWBR will absorb any fees and give 100% of your donation to them.

Equine WellBeing Rescue, Inc.

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Fundraiser for Kristin's Animals