Anyone who knows Barriere resident Dale Kristensen will tell you that he is the consummate family man, he has an uncanny ability to understand machinery and most importantly, nothing slows him down. Until his most recent back surgery in 2018, nothing would stop Dale form helping a friend or giving someone a hand. He was always working with his heavy equipment and he relished every moment with his young son, Cooper whom he shares with his loving and supportive wife, Andrea.
Dales says that his first back surgery took place when he was just five years old. “I remember my elementary school days when I spent six months in a body cast because of surgery needed to fuse three of my vertebrae,” said Dale, “And as I have grown that fusion has eventually pinched off my spinal cord in three spots.”
He says that back surgery has progressed immensely since he was five years old, but as the spinal cord became pinched he needed further surgery “to stop any further damage being done to the spinal cord and to help me retain the ability to walk, sit up straighter”.
Without the surgery Dale was told he would likely loose the ability to walk, so he made the agonizing decision to undergo the surgery in order to improve his quality of life and ensure his chances to be an active father. The estimated recovery time was between six to 12 months.
It has now been almost a year since Dale’s perilous surgery took place in Vancouver, he was making good progress and the prognosis was good for him and his family.
“The surgery was great,” said Dale, ” I have nothing bad to say about the surgeon – he did an amazing job.”
But then the unthinkable happened and Dale’s life took another drastic turn.
“I was following my young son down the stairs at home one day when he started to slip and looked like he was going to fall down the stairs, so I reached out and grabbed him, and as soon as I did that that I felt something let go in my back,” said Dale, “I sat for about an hour and finally realized I had to get down to Vancouver right away as something had broken in my back.”
Dale says when he was checked out by the surgeon in Vancouver it was discovered one of the two titanium rods that had been installed to stabilize his spine had inexplicably broken.
“The surgeon told me this was a one-in-a-million possibility,” said Dale.
He says that since the rod broke his previous recovery has deteriorated. Now he lives in constant debilitating pain, his mobility has vanished, and he is unable to do daily tasks that many would take for granted.
This is a discouraging twist of fate for a young family who “blew their savings and went into debt” for the first surgery, which after a long and painful recovery from, Dale must now face the unthinkable and go through the whole process again.
Dale says he will have to endure another six to 12 month recovery period which will add up to a two year absence from work. Without Dale working for the last year, Dale and Andrea have exhausted all of their resources, and he will now be off work for another year at least.
Although the surgery is covered by the medical system, all the expenses for hospital visits, hotel stays in Vancouver for medical appointments, gas, food, and the time off work has taken a devastating financial toll on their family.
Day to day expenses keep adding up, and this family are in danger of losing everything that they have worked so hard for.
Darlene Kristensen is Dale’s older sister, and says she knows how hard this family is struggling to stay afloat and cover the costs of travel to and from Vancouver, accommodation, meals, transportation and more. In an effort to do all she can to help them Darlene has started a Go Fund Me page for Dale with a goal of $10,000.
“They have suffered immeasurable stress from the initial surgery and nobody in their situation should have to worry about how to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table as they face another daunting surgery,” said Darlene, “Any amount that people are able to contribute will directly help Dale and his family pay for medical treatment and recovery. Please, help us help Dale get back on his feet and walk, again.”
Dale says that he and Andrea find the Go Fund Me campaign to be “awesome”.
“It is tremendous,” said Dale, as he tells his next surgery is scheduled for Apr. 8 in Vancouver. “I looked on the page and see names of people I went to elementary school with and haven’t seen since, and they are donating $100. It is overwhelming, but very much appreciated.”
As of March 24 the page has raised $3030 of the $10,000 goal.
If you would like to help you can will find Dale’s Go Fund Me page at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/the-kristensen-familys-repeat-surgical-struggle
