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Please Support Kelsey's Recovery Journey from White Island Eruption

  • Last Givealittle Update (from Kelsey)

      10 December 2020
    Posted by: Rochelle (Shelley) Waghorn
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    Hello, everyone.

    As the title suggests, this will be my last update via this Givealittle page, and it’s going to be short due to todays brain power and because I wanted to send you one last message before it closed down. I have only kept it open this long as a means to update you all on how I’ve been getting on, as it was the least I could do given your incredibly generous donations towards my recovery and future.

    Despite the state of the world right now with Covid, some of you are still donating. And that blows my mind.

    Yesterday was the 1-year anniversary of the Whakaari/White Island eruption, and I cried until I gave myself a headache. Despite the overwhelming sadness and loss, my day was also filled with happy memories, laughter and so much love.

    I spent the morning at Tarawera Falls, after the dawn karakia, with a rowdy bunch of boat crew, before having a quick lunch, and then headed over to the beach, to a bench-seat put in by Hayden’s brother and father. At 14:11, I stood at the waters edge and looked out to where Whakaari lurked behind the muggy-haze, wrapped in the arms of my partner, and surrounded by more love than a girl knows what to do with.

    My physical recovery continues to go well, though, there are definitely a couple of touch-ups I would like done at my next check up in Waikato Hospital next year. Nothing major, and nothing that can’t wait.

    On behalf of my family and I, I would like to thank you for your ongoing love and support. You gave us SO many laughs and tears with your messages and memories of me. I’ll never forget when I was first told about this page, and being shown the quantity raised a mere three-ish-weeks after the eruption - I cried when I read $9,000, and cried even harder when I was told “no - not $9,400… $94,000!!”

    As I mentioned in another post, I will continue my recovery updates through my instagram page (@kezzelsify), for those of you who would like to keep updated.

    But other than that, thank you, thank you, thank you.

    Love,

    Kelsey

    And a little note of thanks from my mum, dad, sister and awesome partner:

    'From day-1 we have been overwhelmed with your incredibly generous donations and heartfelt messages of love, support and encouragement. You have all managed to put a smile on our faces in the most trying of times, and for that we thank every single one of you.

    We are very aware that this past year has been painfully challenging for so many. Our hearts have broken for all of the other families who have lost love ones and those who have also endured agonising recoveries.

    To the first responders, the local helicopter pilots, hospital staff at Whakatane Hospital, Hutt Valley ICU and Burns Unit and Waikato Burns & Plastics Units, St Johns, the NZ Airforce Medics and all of Kels therapists, friends and supporters - a massive thank you. We are in awe of your bravery, dedication, love and support. You have saved our girls life - and for that we are forever thankful.

    We are beyond grateful to have our gorgeous girl here with us and will continue to help her live her very best life in honour of everyone there and involved that day.'

    With love and so much thanks,

    Shelley, Graham, Holly & Tom x

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  • The Good, Bad & Ugly (an update from Kelsey)

      24 November 2020
    Posted by: Rochelle (Shelley) Waghorn
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    I have been so overwhelmed this week.

    Both our fridge and dishwasher crapped out. Both of our dogs ended up with damaged paws - and one ended up with a cone and a decent vet bill). The first anniversary of the eruption is coming up. Christmas is coming up. Money is tiiight thanks to “spend-the-pain-away-Kelsey” (but how good do these candles smell, and this duvet look..?)

    Most importantly though, after my interview aired last night, I have been absolutely inundated with love and support.

    I know I say it a lot, but thank you so much to all of you who send me words of encouragement, a hug for my mum, wine, boots for the dogs, your own stories, thoughts, love, strawberries - the list is endless.

    Though my days can be tough, I know you’re all here for me - through the good, bad and ugly 🤍

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  • Surgery Update (from Kelsey)

      21 October 2020
    Posted by: Rochelle (Shelley) Waghorn
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    Hello friends 👋🏼

    As promised - here I am, updating you, after my post-op check up at Waikato Hospital yesterday.

    All good news! The surgeon was super stoked with how everything is looking and has healed. She even thanked ME, because the surgery was “so rewarding” 😂 turns out, some areas under my grafts had grown some tissue to heal themselves, so the graft could actually be taken right back - this was most notable on my left thumb. I had some other areas like this, and now there are no “pockets” or overhanging graft 🎉 I also had a bunch of small skin tags “burred” back, so now my hands are super smooth, and I don’t have to worry about catching catchy bits on anything. Yaass.

    The best news of all, though, was that she’s going to leave me alone for 6-months now. Which means no surgery or check ups over the anniversary/Christmas/New Years period. We can have the normal holiday period we missed out on last year.

    I will head back and see her in the new year, and we will discuss whether or not she will be releasing the web space between my thumb and index finger - which at the moment doesn’t bother me, but she is confident she can get full range back in that hand, not just the half-range that I have. And why not strive for the best possible outcome, right?

    It’s hard to believe that in 7-weeks it will be 1-year since Whakaari erupted and nearly claimed all of the lives that were on her at the time. To be honest, there are still days that this doesn’t seem real. How can it be?

    I’ll try to update you all on how I’m doing a couple times before this page is shut down around December 15th.

    Until next time, stay safe and be kind to one another x

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  • Post 'Touch-Up' Surgery Update (from Kelsey)

      7 October 2020
    Posted by: Rochelle (Shelley) Waghorn
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    Well, I’ve hand my hand surgery, and it sounds like it went well. For one whole week I had oven mitts for hands - funny at first when I was too sore to do anything, but the novelty wore off after a couple of days and I was unable to do pretty much anything unassisted. It was really hard to get over the mental hurdle of going from totally dependant, to free as a bird, and back to dependant again. The wheels had well and truly come off by the time I reached the one week mark.

    We went back to hospital yesterday to have my dressings/mitts removed, and that didn’t exactly go to plan - some of my dressings had dried/set into the blood and wounds, and we were told to go home and finish off the rest over a few days through soaking them and having a wee pick at them. I was really disappointed because I was expecting a grand reveal, and what I got was far from that. However, as I type this, I have managed to get over half of those dressings off, and am feeling much more comfortable both physically and mentally. Phew!

    I have another check up on the 20th, and I am pretty sure they will be booking me in to get my right hand sorted - the webspace between my thumb and index finger is half what it should be, and I cannot straighten any of the fingers on that hand - this has got worse over the last week, as I haven’t been able to properly stretch out that hand. But I’ve had worse, right?

    I will update you all after the 20th x

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  • Surgery Date, All Blacks & Runaway Cows! (an update from Kelsey)

      22 September 2020
    Posted by: Rochelle (Shelley) Waghorn
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    Hello, it’s me again.

    I’ve had a bit of a mixed week.

    On one hand, I spent a lot of time with family and friends, I got myself a masseuse and a naturopath to push my recovery along in the best possible way for my body and mind. I also met some of the All Blacks, and here’s a picture with me and Sam Whitelock - a top-notch dude.

    On the other hand.. I cried my eyes out when the garage door jammed and I couldn’t get my car out, and I did a dumb thing and let the cows out to head to the milking shed, didn’t check the gates (always check the gates..), and the girls started making their way to the back of the farm - away from the milking shed. The only thing I could do was RUN up and over a hill to try and cut them off with the dogs and turn them around. I haven’t run in over 9-months. My heart rate got up to 190bpm, and I ended up collapsing on the hill crying and having a panic attack as Tom raced over to turn the cows around with our top cow-dog, River. A lot of consoling was required.

    Overall, though, I haven’t been feeling too bad lately.

    I finally got a date for my (hopefully) final surgery, and that’s September 28th - 6-days away! Now that I have a date, I’m starting to get nervous, despite this being one of the more minor of my surgeries. It sounds like I’ll be spending the night in hospital, but as long as I get some Duck Island Ice Cream, I’ll complain somewhat less.

    Thank you for all of your continued support. It really does mean the world to me, and I try to read all of your messages.

    I’ll keep this one short, and update you all next week with how everything goes.

    Love,

    Kelsey

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  • Kelsey

      14 September 2020

    Kelsey has been an inspiration to us and our family, as have her partner, sister and parents! Kelsey's courage to share her progress and her journey has given insight to her incredible resolve.

    Thank you to everyone for continuing to support her and her family. You all are stars xxoo

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  • Making Good Progress (latest update written by Kelsey)

      13 September 2020
    Posted by: Rochelle (Shelley) Waghorn
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    Hello everyone!

    I hope you’re all keeping safe and well during these interesting times.

    I still haven’t heard about my surgery yet! But fingers crossed I will hear sometime this week (I’ve been saying that for the last two-weeks, but maybe it’s third time lucky 🍀 ).

    I’ve been flat-out with appointments over the last month, and I had to be remeasured up for new pressure garment gloves, sleeves and high-waisted pants. So far, the best ones to wear are the sleeves (because its winter and it helps keep my arms warm). The gloves are fine - when they fit properly and they aren’t wet! Its quite a hard feat to keep them dry and clean on a farm 🤷🏼‍♀️ The pants are the most annoying - because they have to come up so high to get the graft on my lower back and stomach, they have a tendency of rolling down and slipping down, so I’m forever having to pull them up and readjust myself. A pain, but it’s manageable and not forever.

    It was Tom’s birthday in August, and my family and I organised for him to go for a flight in a fighter jet! He had an amazing time, and the guys at Fighter Jets NZ were incredible. We also spent the night in Tauranga in a swanky hotel room right on the harbour. It was so nice to go away and have a bit of luxury for a night.

    Hopefully we’ll be back there in November for a concert which keeps getting moved because of Covid.

    We are starting to plan our future career moves, too! I won’t say too much right now because it’s still very early days and there is a lot to sort out in the next 9-months-ish. That, and I still have a surgery and a lot of recovering to do! But watch this space.

    Work is well into planning a memorial for December 9th, but because of Covid, they are having to navigate the best way to mark the ‘occasion’(?) and also keep everyone safe. It’s rather overwhelming to think that it’s almost been a year since the eruption, and I know the day will be difficult for everyone. Including me. I’m finding it really hard to put together the words I could say to my colleagues, their families, and to those passengers and their loved ones who were injured or lost loved ones on the day. Maybe there are no words. But I’ll keep trying.

    We have another busy month ahead of us, so I will update you all on how I’m going/when my next surgery is when I get a chance.

    Love, Kelsey x

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  • Kelsey's July Update

      1 August 2020
    Posted by: Rochelle (Shelley) Waghorn
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    Hey guys,

    Sorry I’m a bit late with a July update - it’s been a busy busy month.

    You may have seen on the news that I went away on a “volcanic getaway” (hahaha...) to Ohakune with a group of friends. I’d had huge anxiety about going away leading up to it - not just being at the base of three live volcanos, but also because I’d had several flashbacks, panic attacks, and my mood is less than unpredictable. I was so worried I’d have a bad spell and ruin both my time away, and everyone else’s.

    Thankfully, my brain behaved itself, and I had the most wonderful and relaxing four days I’d had in months. It was so nice to feel like the old me for awhile.

    We had a really difficult two weeks once we got back from our holiday, with a death in Tom’s family, calving starting on the farm, some blank spots were filled in for me by the police about what happened on Whakaari once I’d left after the eruption on our “rescue vessel” and everything that happened and didn’t happen afterwards.

    On top of all of this, I made the difficult decision to send my dog, River, away for some additional training that I have been unable to give him myself since the eruption. I miss him so much, but only 7-sleeps until he’s home now!

    I had another check up at Waikato Hospital on the 28th, too. They’re still super happy with how all of my grafts are looking (thanks Hutt burns/plastic surgeons!), but I will be returning to the operating theatre in the next few months to have some minor graft breakdowns on my hands sorted - and an imbedded dressing removed from my upper arm!

    I brought myself a weighted blanket this week with the donations you have all so generously put towards my recovery. They’re designed to help alleviate anxiety, improve sleep, calm the nervous system and help with PTSD. So far, I absolutely love it (I’m wrapped up in it on the couch as I write this!)

    I think mum said that this page is due to close next month, so in case I don’t get another update in before then, I want to say how thankful I am for each and every one of you who sent me - and more so my family, so much love and kindness - especially in that first month where everything was looking pretty grim. You made us all cry (good tears) with your words, your memories of me, your gift baskets, and at the generosity you all showed us with your donations towards my ongoing recovery. You’ve kept us all going more than you will ever know.

    At this stage, I don’t have concrete plans on “where to next”, but I’ll be keeping those that are interested up to date on how I am, when my next surgery is and what I’m doing over on my Instagram page (@kezzelsify).

    Once again, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

    Stay safe.

    Kelsey x

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  • Hello From Kelsey!

      15 June 2020
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    Hello again,

    Another month has passed, and I’ve achieved more goals - I’ve made it safely onto and off of the ground, I’ve made myself a few cups of tea and not dropped the kettle, and I left my Whakatāne bubble for a non-hospital related reason (my first in over six months), I’ve been showering unaided and alone, I’ve been moisturising my grafts and changing my own garments (speaking of - I’m now wearing garments on my legs now, too (dubbed “my wetsuit pants”)), and I walked to the mailbox down our driveway on my own. Another big thing I achieved (albeit briefly), I was totally dressing free (I’ve opened my elbow up again).

    One piece of bad news is that my clotted jugular vein, which was first discovered in Hutt Hospital (early January), which was then discovered to have collapsed in May, is still blocked and collapsed as of an ultrasound last week. We’re still waiting to hear from the specialist about where-to-next. In the meantime, I will keep taking my blood-thinners, and try not to hold my breath when doing exercises lying down.

    Other than that, physically, I am doing really well. There isn’t a lot I have found (so far) that I can’t do, but I do fatigue quickly, and in turn, that really affects my mood. I am having a lot of days where I am tired, struggling, sad, angry, scared. But, I guess that’s just where I am with my recovery.

    I stress very easy, too, and unfortunately, it has meant I have had to cancel appointments I was looking forward to because my thoughts get on top of me, and I can’t recover from it quickly. I’ve been leaning heavily on my partner, Tom, as well as my psychologist - I certainly do not take them for granted, and they have been amazing at helping me get through my dark days.

    The six-month anniversary last week was hard, but I was able to be surrounded by my close friends from work, Hayden’s family and my family and partner.

    Tom and I have some plans on a couple of holidays over the next couple of months before things get hectic with calving and mating here on the farm, and we’re currently looking into some future plans - watch this space!

    Once again, thank you so much for your kindness, your generosity and your supportive messages you have all been sending me. They mean the world to us.

    Love,

    Kels

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  • This Months Update (by Kelsey)

      20 May 2020
    Posted by: Rochelle (Shelley) Waghorn
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    I just wanted to give you guys another update on how I’m doing.

    I had a checkup in Waikato Hospital Hospital earlier in the month, and it all went really well. I was measured up for new compression garments, and the surgeons were all really impressed with how my grafts, donor sites and scars are healing. Based on that, at this stage, I have no foreseeable surgeries - I stay at 14 trips to the operating theatre for now!

    The range of motion I have in my arms and hands is nearing full range of motion, but there is still some work to do on my knees. Given that I gave them a bit of a thrashing with my falls, they have only just managed to totally close over. Because they’ve been open for so long, and because I was so paranoid about stretching them and tearing them even more, I do not have total range of motion when bending my knees. Yet. Now that I’m all closed up, my Physio and I will be focusing on getting that bend back so I can get back to squatting in front of fires (at a safe distance) and getting down to the floor to pat my dogs without the use of a chair or box.

    I’m still learning how fragile my skin is - just today I went to take some tape off my arm and pulled off a piece of skin.

    Mentally, I have my days. Some days I am good and everything feels easy. And then some days, I wake up stressed and panicked for no reason - everything becomes hard, and I cry. A lot. But, I’m working on it, and trying not to call myself too many unkind names. I know my body and mind are doing their best under incredibly trying circumstances, but some days are just a lot to take on.

    I’m trying to look ahead, past all of the rehab and appointments, to what I could do in the future. I haven’t got there yet, but its early days.

    I can’t believe that even in the midst of a global pandemic and economic uncertainty for SO many people, you guys are still “giving a little” to put towards my recovery/future. Nothing has humbled me more, or made me realise that the world is actually full of so many good people.

    I am lucky for so many reasons, and your help is making my future ever brighter.

    Love,

    Kelsey

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  • Today I turn 26. (A post by Kelsey)

      12 April 2020
    Posted by: Rochelle (Shelley) Waghorn
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    Somehow, I’ve made it to 26.

    I’ve survived a boat fire, a near-miss car crash, a volcanic eruption, 45% full-thickness burns, fourteen trips to theatre, and so far, a global pandemic.

    My body has a million scrapes, scars and burns, which I’m learning to love everyday.

    My mind and soul are still catching up and trying to accept what has happened over the last four years. For some reason, it’s started to catch up today.

    But I’m here, and that’s all that matters.

    I’m so proud of how far I’ve come, how resilient my body is, and I couldn’t be more thankful for all the love and light I have in my life. Even if I can’t be with them all today.

    Happy birthday to me, and here’s to a slightly quieter next four years 🥳

    Thanks again for all of your support and messages. I appreciate each and every one of them.

    If you want to see more of my recovery journey you can follow me on Instagram @kezzelsify

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  • An Update - From Home 💕

      17 March 2020
    Posted by: Rochelle (Shelley) Waghorn
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    Well, I’m home!

    In total, I spent 49 days in Hutt Hospital - 10 of those in ICU, and 5 of them in an induced coma. During those 10 days, no one could tell my family whether I was going to make it or not. Thankfully, my little beaten up vessel pulled through, and I made it up to the burns/plastics ward where I spent another 39 days.

    I was transferred to Waikato on a tennis-ball-coloured air plane. I only spent 16 days as an inpatient at Waikato Hospital, which, actually, would have been a lot shorter had I not fallen over on my very first weekend leave, which landed me back in Whakatāne A&E. Not exactly the way I’d planned on going back to see and thank the team there. Needless to say, my doctor back in Waikato was more than apprehensive about letting me have the following weekend at home. But, we convinced her I’d learnt my lesson, and I was granted the next two weekends home.

    A grand total of 65 days in hospital. Plus 14 trips to the operating theatre totalling around 70hrs (including recovery).

    I was discharged on February 13th with the idea that I wouldn’t have any unplanned visits from medics until my two week check up back in Waikato. True to form, my body had other ideas. Before my first dressing change at home on the Monday following my release, I passed out in the shower. Twice. In doing so, I skinned my shin and traumatised my family for life (again..). Cue the ambulance, IV line and a whole lot of blood pressure checks.

    Thankfully, other than a collapsed jugular vein and some oozy fingers, I haven’t had any other surprises.

    Words can’t describe how good it is to be home - my own bed (that doesn’t inflate and deflate randomly), the fresh air, the view from the lounge, and of course, our two dogs. My days are still full of physio, hand therapy, OTs and district nurse visits, but I am home.

    Thank you once again for your continued support, love, advice and donations. They really mean the world to me.

    Be careful out there, and wash your hands x

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  • Update from Kelsey

      8 February 2020
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    With all the bad going on in the world at the moment, I feel like some good news is in order!

    I’m doing really well.

    I had my arms, hands and a small portion of my stomach grafted on December 11th - thankfully, my back and butt were great donor sites.

    I don’t remember a lot from my time in ICU and my first few days on the ward because I was on some sweeeeeet pain meds. Turns out I’m not good on ketamine. 😅🤷🏼‍♀️

    My legs, lower back and some touch ups on my upper arms had their donor/cadaver skin removed and were grafted on December 27th. Now this proved to be quite “uncomfortable” (to put it gently....) given that my back and butt were “harvested” a second time, along with some strips from my upper thighs.

    By this stage, I’d been (painfully) upright only twice between these two graftings with a lot of assistance from my beautiful Physio, family and a handful of nurses. So there was a lot of blood, sweat and tears put into getting me where I am today after my final graftings.

    I am fairly mobile now, albeit wobbly and minus some strength.

    I am slowly regaining the use of both of my hands - my right is worse than my left. But I’m working on that everyday.

    There’s been complications - blood clots and infections, but my surgical and ward team were on top of it before it ever got too bad.

    Monday marks 9 weeks since Whakaari decided she would clear her throat. 9 weeks since I received full thickness burns to about 45% of my body. 9 weeks since I lost work colleagues and good friends.

    My body has been going full-tilt since, to the point where my heart rate whilst in my 5-day coma was 157. Nowadays, it’s still around 100.

    Everything is healing twice as fast as anyone predicted, and although I have my moments, I am proud of the huge progress I have made. I’m covered in scars and relocated skin, and that’s okay with me.

    Once again, thank you thank you thank you to everyone for their donations, their kind words, their time and hard work.

    I wouldn’t be here without you.

    Kels (“Special K”)

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  • A Message From Kelsey

      23 January 2020

    Kelsey's progress is now so positive. Thank you again for your incredible support for her!!! I am now extremely happy to share a message from Kelsey,

    'Thank you to everyone who has reached out or helped my family since December 9th. And to those who have generously donated to my Givealittle, I’ve been reading your comments in small batches as the kindness is overwhelming. It’s hard to fathom the amount of love and support from people I met through work, and even people I haven’t met.

    Thank you so much to the emergency services, doctors, nurses, surgeons that got me from the Whakatāne wharf, through ICU, to the Plastics and Burns Unit. You literally saved my life, and ensured I will go on to live a long and beautiful life. Here’s hoping that 14 trips to the operating theatre are the only trips I’ll take!

    Thank you doesn’t seem like a big enough word(s) to my family and partner who have been by my side from day one, through the low-lows to the “baby’s first step” highs. You’ve been through hell with me, and I am lost for words in how to thank you all. I’ll just keep pushing forward, and hope that that will do for now. '

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  • First update for 2020

      8 January 2020

    Thank you so much for your continued support and concern for Kelsey. We all continue to be overwhelmed by it.

    Kelsey is doing well. She continues to have surgery every few days.

    She had a really rough week following Christmas. Hard for Kelsey and really hard for her partner and family. Your messages of strength, love, support and prayers truly helped them all through this. Kelsey, true to her nature, has dug deep and is working really hard on her recovery path way. She even managed to sit up for the first time in 2020 on Saturday with the support of the physio team - huge progress!!

    Kelsey's mum has been with her throughout. Her partner and family are incredible - walking the journey with Kelsey, supporting her all the way xxoo

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  • Thank you!

      19 December 2019

    Thank you so much for your incredible response to Kelsey’s Givealittle page.

    We are truely grateful and feel humbled. The messages have touched us - some made us laugh, some made us tearful but, all of them have made us feel the love, compassion and strength that Kelsey and the family will need.

    Some messages have been read to Kelsey and all have been kept for her to read further on in her journey.

    Kelsey remains in critical care but is no longer in a coma. She is sedated and still having surgery every couple of days. She has had her family beside her throughout.

    The healthcare has been phenomenal - they are not only there for Kelsey but also for her family. We appreciate each one of them.

    I know your continued support will help Kelsey and her family get through those tough times xxoo

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