Our lives took a terrifying turn when my beloved wife, Chrisna, suffered a severe stroke followed by multiple seizures. Tragically, our 12-year-old son witnessed this devastating event, and the emotional impact on him has been immense. My greatest wish is to bring his mother home healthy and whole, not only for her sake but for his well-being too. We know that seeing her fight and eventually recover will be a crucial part of his healing process.
Adding to our distress, Chrisna, who is only 43, did not have medical insurance. As South Africans living in Thailand, we were diligently saving to secure medical cover when this unforeseen and critical emergency struck. We have already had to pay an initial 47,000 THB in cash to the hospital, and now we are facing a further 180,000 THB bill for the crucial operation she needed. On top of this, the daily cost for her to remain in the Intensive Care Unit is approximately 10,000 THB, and this is without accounting for any additional treatments or complications. The financial burden is escalating rapidly and is far beyond our ability to manage alone.
Despite these challenges, Chrisna is a vibrant and loving person with so much life left to live. She is an avid animal lover who has selflessly cared for numerous dogs over the years and has lovingly adopted four dogs and a cat into our family. Our furry companions miss her dearly, especially Sam, that have a special connection with her, and we know her return home will bring immense joy to them all. In her passion for spreading happiness, she also runs a small South African treat business here in Thailand, bringing a taste of her home and joy to others.
The medical bills are mounting at an alarming rate. With the initial payment, the surgery cost, and the ongoing ICU expenses, we are already facing a significant financial crisis, and we anticipate the total could reach 500,000 THB or even 1 million THB as Chrisna continues her critical care and begins the long road to recovery. We also know that our son will need support to process the trauma he experienced.
We are reaching out to our community, friends, and anyone who is able to help. These funds will go directly towards covering Chrisna's immediate hospital bills, the vital operation she needs, her ongoing critical care in the ICU, and the extensive rehabilitation that will be essential for her recovery journey so she can come back to our son, her beloved animals, and continue to bring joy to others through her treats.
Every donation, no matter the size, will bring us closer to ensuring Chrisna receives the best possible care and eases the immense financial pressure on our family during this incredibly challenging time. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your kindness, generosity, and support.
Answering Your Questions: Transparency on Chrisna's Medical Bills and Your Incredible Support!
We know many of you are following Chrisna's journey closely, and we want to be fully transparent about the significant medical expenses and how your generous donations are making a difference. It's important for us to show you exactly where the funds have gone and why your continued support is so vital.
The Costs We've Faced
Chrisna's medical journey has involved two hospitals, and the bills have been substantial:
First Hospital Bill: ฿43,709.00 THB This covered the ambulance from our home, Chrisna's initial days of hospital stay, and crucial CT scans that helped us understand the situation. Second Hospital Bill: ฿298,148.53 THB This is where the bulk of the expenses lay. The bill for just the first day after her operation was a staggering ฿184,377.59 THB. This larger bill encompasses multiple follow-up CT scans, MRI scans, biopsy testing, and intensive ICU care, which are all incredibly costly but vital for her diagnosis and recovery.
In total, the hospital bills alone amounted to ฿341,857.53 THB.
Your Amazing Contributions So Far
Thanks to your incredible kindness, we've received significant support, helping us tackle these immense costs:
Weeboon Campaign: ฿126,655.00 THB GoFundMe Campaign: £355 GBP (approximately ฿15,651.17 THB) Direct Donations: ฿85,345.75 THB
This means, together, we've raised a total of approximately ฿227,651.92 THB! Every single baht, pound, and direct gift has gone directly towards helping us cover these immediate, life-saving hospital expenses.
The Road Ahead: Rehabilitation and Ongoing Care
As you know, Chrisna was discharged with the crucial help of a friend who provided bridging finance to cover the outstanding bill. This was a massive relief and allowed us to bring her home. The doctors are still investigating the cause of the stroke and have postponed further test operations until we get the initial test results.
While being home with our son and her overjoyed animals is a dream come true, the journey isn't over. Chrisna's left side remains weaker, and for the foreseeable future, I'll be staying home to provide her with full-time care. She won't be able to drive for some time, but her entrepreneurial spirit is already shining through! While she won't be running her treat business at full pace immediately, she plans to do it at a slower pace while focusing on her recovery and further training her local staff/chef to ensure her delicious treats continue to bring joy.
This also means we urgently need your continued support for her rehabilitation. Getting her the necessary therapy is crucial for her long-term recovery and for her to regain independence. The funds raised will go directly towards her ongoing medical needs and intensive rehab, enabling her to get back to full health and her passions.
Thank you again for being part of Chrisna's fight. Your generosity truly makes all the difference.
Please continue to help us push forward for her rehabilitation.
Chrisna is HOME! A Huge Step Forward, But the Journey Continues
We have truly wonderful news to share: Chrisna has been discharged from the hospital and is finally home!
This monumental step was made possible by an incredibly generous friend who provided crucial bridging finance. The hospital wouldn't release her without the full payment of the current bill, and we are eternally grateful for this lifeline that brought Chrisna back to us.
Her homecoming was incredibly emotional. All our animals – her beloved dogs and cat – were absolutely overjoyed to see her again, especially Sam. Their excitement and Chrisna's joy at being reunited with them filled our home with so much warmth.
The doctors have decided to delay another test operation until we receive the results of the tests already performed. This gives us a little breathing room as we focus on her immediate care.
While being home is a massive victory, Chrisna's recovery journey is far from over. Her left side is still weaker, and for the foreseeable future, I will need to stay home to provide her with the full-time care she needs until she regains more strength. This means she won't be able to drive or resume her normal activities for some time.
This also means we urgently need your continued support for her rehabilitation. Getting her the necessary therapy is crucial for her long-term recovery and for her to regain independence. The funds raised will go directly towards her ongoing medical needs and intensive rehab.
Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for every single donation, share, and message of support. Your kindness is what's making Chrisna's recovery possible.
Please consider donating and sharing Chrisna's story. Every contribution helps us bring her closer to a full recovery and eases the immense financial strain on our family.
Chrisna's Strong Spirit: Closer to Home, Still Needing Your Urgent Help
Dearest friends and supporters,
We have another update on Chrisna's amazing progress! She is becoming more and more alert and restless, a clear sign that her fighting spirit is growing stronger each day. All she wants now is to come home to her son and her beloved furry family, and we couldn't be more excited at the prospect!
The medical team is weighing the next steps. While the neurologist is willing to dismiss her, other doctors are diligently working to understand the cause of her stroke, performing an MRI and additional tests. This thoroughness is important, and we're holding onto hope that Chrisna will finally be discharged today!
However, as we near this crucial moment, the hospital's financial department is understandably pressing us for the outstanding funds. We are still a little short of covering just the operation and her current hospital stay, and securing these funds is the final hurdle before she can be released.
To everyone who has already opened their hearts and donated – thank you, from the very bottom of ours. Your incredible generosity has brought us this far, and we are profoundly grateful for every single contribution.
We truly need a final push to get Chrisna home. If you are able to help, even a small amount makes a monumental difference.
You can donate here:
For general donations (including for Thailand): https://www.weeboon.com/en/campaign/help-chrisna-get-back-on-her-feet For those in the US and UK who might have struggled with the first platform: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-chrisna-get-back-to-her-son-and-spreading-joy
Please continue to share Chrisna's story. Every share extends our reach and brings us closer to reuniting our family.
With deepest gratitude,
Chrisna, Louis and Morgan
#ChrisnaStrong #RoadToRecovery #BringChrisnaHome #MedicalFundraiser
We're so happy to share some heartwarming news from Chrisna's recovery journey! Yesterday was a truly special day. Morgan and I were able to visit Chrisna twice, and seeing his comfort growing in going to see his mom more fills our hearts with relief. It's incredibly important for his healing process to be close to his mom.
The highlight of the day was our long walk together. Chrisna is showing more and more signs of her vibrant self – she's becoming quite restless and eager to come home! Her determination is truly inspiring, and it's a powerful reminder of how much she wants to be back with our family, her son, and her beloved pets.
While we can't share photos due to hospital privacy policies, please know that Chrisna's spirit is strong. We're holding onto the hopeful news that the doctor might be able to release her in the next couple of days!
For this incredible step forward to happen, we urgently need your continued support. As foreigners in Thailand, securing the necessary funds is a crucial hurdle to ensure her release. Every donation brings us closer to getting Chrisna home where she belongs.
Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for your incredible generosity and for walking this journey with us. Your support means everything.
#ChrisnaStrong #RoadToRecovery #Homebound
Chrisna is making good progress and has been fully awake and aware for the whole day. The doctors want to do another CT scan today, but everything seems like we are through the worst and just trying to find the cause of it.
To think a week ago, all was still normal, I can not think how quickly things have changed, and from where she was, to walking, this is one amazing woman. Please help to get Chrisna Van Wyk out of the hospital. Share, and if you have a little spare, please donate, it does go a long way.
For those that say they are struggling to donate here. Try the following link
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-chrisna-get-back-to-her-son-and-spreading-joy
#SupportChrisna #FamilyEmergency #Thailand
Update on Chrisna's condition.
She is a notable fighter, and sometimes, the weakness that this has caused frustrates her, but she is fighting and winning.
She walked today with a little help.
The force is strong in this amazing woman.
I know I am so proud of this woman, near death 4 days ago, underwent brain surgery, and is already starting to walk.
Hi All.
What a big day of achievements for Chrisna.They removed the oxygen mask and all tubes.
Chrisna ate and drank for the first time again.
She is moving her arms and legs and has control over them, her left side will need some therapy to be back to full strength.
Hi All.
What a big day of achievements for Chrisna.They removed the oxygen mask and all tubes.
Chrisna ate and drank for the first time again.
She is moving her arms and legs and has control over them, her left side will need some therapy to be back to full strength.
I have some great news, Chrisna Van Wyk is going strong. They remove the ventilator and the tubes. She is moving all her arms and legs. She said her name after they removed the tube, and the nurse asked for it. She was awake for most of the day. These are all good signs that she will make a full recovery.
Late last night, she did try and speak, a little hard to understand. But with theorophy, I believe that Chrisna will make a full recovery.
I have created a Facebook page that is easy to update from my phone.
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576918624629
I will still update you here as well, just when I am at the hospital. It is a little harder.