Friends of Maysa Hagel

Please scroll down for latest updates.

The Outside Circle is hosting a benefit auction via Facebook to raise funds. Please click here to learn more. The auction will begin at 12pm CST 10/1 and will conclude at noon CST on Sunday 10/9. Official bidding posts will show up individually in the page feed. 

 

From fundraising organizer Gail Baldwin:

Our dear friend, 25-year-old Maysa Hagel, has suffered a devastating mid-brain stroke.

On Sept. 2, while her mother, Sara, was on the phone, Maysa interrupted to tell her that she was feeling strange tingling sensations in her face and arms. Within moments, Maysa’s speech began to slur. Sara immediately recognized that her healthy, vibrant young daughter was having a stroke. Sara rushed Maysa to emergency medical help at a hospital in Billings, MT.

An extensive arterial tear was found and repaired in Maysa’s mid-brain. With tears in his eyes, the surgeon told Sara that he could only give Maysa a 10% chance of survival.

Maysa is fighting and surviving. She is making slow progress, and every small step forward is cherished. Maysa is currently on a ventilator, a trach, and a feeding tube. She has squeezed her mother’s hand, moved a shoulder, and occasionally follows staff and family with her eyes. Sara spends her days beside Maysa’s bed in ICU, reading to her daughter.

Maysa’s recovery will be long and arduous. Expenses will be very high.

Maysa’s father, Lee, is recovering from knee replacement surgery and Sara cannot work while she remains at Maysa’s bedside.

Sara Hagel (www.mecates.com) is known as the finest maker of mane hair mecates in the world. She is a highly respected maker of leather headstalls, purses, and associated leather goods. Lee Hagel is a valued long-time ranch employee. Hard-working and creative Maysa follows in the footsteps of both parents with interests in fine horsemanship, leather work, and even boot making.

The ever-generous Maysa and the Hagel family now need your help! Please donate whatever you can. Every little bit helps!

 

 

September 27, 2022
by Gail Baldwin, Organizer
Maysa Hagel Update- 09/27/22

Hello all! My apologies! It’s taken a bit of time to put together a new update. As we expect, progress in this sort of situation can be slow, but today we have some good news.
• Today, Maysa was moved out of Intensive Care and take to a long term rehab hospital in Billings!
o Sara is delighted with the facility and the staff.
o With the primary focus moved away from a diagnostics. Now, Maysa will have opportunities for far more extensive physical and speech therapy in a somewhat homier environment.
o Additionally, Maysa will have regular contact with a trusted speech therapist and friend the family has known for many years.
o Maysa is still on a trach and unable to eat, but is tolerating her nutrition much better in the past few days.
o Sara and the staff are using flash cards to help Maysa communicate. Communication is mostly through use of her eyes.
• Sara is very nicely settled into that lovely private home we mentioned in the last update. She actually braved Walmart yesterday…and liked it!
• Lee continues to be a warrior in his PT. This guy is focused and unstoppable! He hopes to visit Maysa with Sara’s mother later this week.

The Outside Circle Fundraiser Online Auction on FaceBook is fast approaching! Oct. 1-9!
THIS AUCTION WILL BE SPECTACULAR!
CONTINUE to watch Outside Circle FB and the Outside Circle Fundraiser Auction FB page
for specific information regarding an online auction on FB, Oct. 1-9.
• The quality and quantity of items being donated is amazing even those at Outside Circle! Bits and spurs, Leather items, chaps and chinks, collectables, antiques, bosals, silk wild rags, saddle blankets, classes taught by famous makers and horsemen and women; all manner of exciting opportunities!
o I cannot confirm, but am hearing that the Hagel family is making numerous donations.
 Rumor has it that Sara, Maysa’s grandfather, Bob Douglas and her grandmother, Lee Douglas and perhaps…even Maysa will have wonderful items available for bidding!
• Watch Outside Circle and Outside Circle Fundraiser Auction page(s), Friends of Maysa Hagel FB page, and Friends of Maysa Hagel on www.GofundMe.com for details!
• Should you wish to donate items, message Cyndi N Greg Gomersall on FB. Include photos of your item, description, and value.
• More fundraising opportunities coming soon!
PLEASE REMEMBER to SPREAD THE WORD and as always,

 

September 22, 2022
by Gail Baldwin, Organizer
Maysa Hagel Update 09/22

* Maysa:
* Maysa made some big leaps today!
* Most exciting, Maysa repositioned and rotated both hands, one shoulder, and an arm ON HER OWN!
* She has been placed in a sitting position several times and for a few hours at a time.
* She is increasingly aware of her surroundings and the comings and goings of people in her room. She still is not moving her head, but actively follows with her eyes.
* She answering yes and no questions with the appropriate blink of her eyes.
* Sara and the Staff continue to do PT with her 3 times a day. Maysa’s joints are not impeded in any way.

* Sara and Lee:
* Sara continues reading to Maysa for hours each day. Maysa seems to enjoy that.
* Sara has settled into a private residence, use of which was donated by a Padlock Ranch family member. Now, she has privacy, access to laundry and kitchen, and private parking. She feels much more at home in this peaceful, private residence than in a hotel. She is much more comfortable, both physically and emotionally.
* Lee is such a warrior! With the help of family and friends, he continues to power through PT following that second knee replacement in just 1 month! He is determined to get to Billings next week to see Maysa and Sara!

WOW! This benefit auction for Maysa and the Hagel family is going to be amazing!
* The auction will by hosted here on Facebook from 10/1-10/9 on the Outside Circle Fundraiser Auction page. Please follow that page to stay up on the auction happenings, view donated items, and participate in bidding. More info will be posted as it becomes available. All auction winners will be asked to pay for items won by simply paying on the Friends of Maysa Hagel GoFundMe page. Items will then be shipped to the winner(s) directly from the maker or donor.
* If you are a maker, artist, craftsperson or would simply like to donate item(s) to be auctioned off please contact Cyndi N Greg Gomersall here on Facebook Messenger with your item photos, description and $ Value.
* PLEASE SHARE THIS AUCTION INFORMATION!

September 18, 2022
by Gail Baldwin, Organizer
We have a long-awaited update from the Hagel Family.
• Last Mon. through Fri., Maysa was quite ill. She was first diagnosed with Pneumonia, but medical professionals soon realized that she actually had an upper respiratory or sinus infection. On Friday, her fever broke. The continual coughing has mostly subsided. Maysa slept peacefully all day Friday.
• Yesterday was a big day for Maysa.
o She was the most alert and engaged that she has been yet!
o Maysa is actively tracking and following activities in her room with her eyes.
o She engages in intentional eye blinks when instructed; even closing and squeezing her eyes when asked. Upon request, she did rapid eye blinking.
o While not quite yet able to wiggle her toes, the Physical Therapist can feel her trying engage the appropriate muscles in her legs. That means that she not only understands the requests, but knows where those extremities are and is working to engage them.
o The team, including Sara continue passive range of motion exercises several times daily. When Maysa is awake, those doing PT can feel her tensing against the exercises.
• Lee had his second knee replacement on Wed. He is in the care of family and friends and is progressing very well!
• Following her tiring day yesterday, Maysa,understandably, has spent most of today sleeping.
Maysa and her family belong to a beautiful and generous western and artisan community known for supporting one another in times of need.
• Outside Circle FB and the Outside Circle Fundraiser Auction FB page will soon have specific information regarding an online auction on FB, Oct. 1-9. The quality and quantity of items being donated is amazing even those at Outside Circle! Bits and spurs, Leather items, chaps and chinks, collectables, bosals, silk wild rags, saddle blankets, classes taught by famous makers and horsemen and women; all manner of exciting opportunities!
• Watch Outside Circle and Outside Circle Fundraiser Auction page(s), Friends of Maysa Hagel FB page, and Friends of Maysa Hagel on www.GofundMe.com for details!
• Should you wish to donate items, message Cyndi N Greg Gomersall on FB. Include photos of your item, description, and value.
• More fundraising opportunities coming soon!
PLEASE REMEMBER to SPREAD THE WORD and as always,
THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROUS DONATIONS!

September 10, 2022
by Gail Baldwin, Organizer
Maysa Hagel Update #1 09/10/2022

Maysa is showing glimmers of improvement. Let us remember that for someone in Maysa’s circumstance, great leaps are measured in small steps.
She had a tiring but encouraging and productive day yesterday, in large part because of extensive and necessary coughing required to clear her lungs.
• OT Personnel determined that she has feeling in all parts of her body, including extremities. They were able to determine that joints are moving freely, with no obstruction.
• Her brain is regulating equal and appropriate temperature on both sides of her body.
Small victories for Maysa:
• She is showing increased awareness of movement in her room by tracking with her eyes.
• There is increased response to voices when being spoken to, for example opening her eyes in recognition.
• She is even making attempts to turn her head to follow activity in her ICU room.
• She has been breathing on her own all day with little O2. Tonight, for safety reasons, Maysa will be back on her ventilator.
Today seems to be a day of required rest for our girl! She has, understandably, been sleeping peacefully after yesterday’s demanding round of activity.