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A Chehalis woman is stuck in a hospital in Costa Rica and remains in a coma after suffering a reaction to anesthesia that caused cardiac arrest. Her friends and family are now working to raise money to cover mounting medical costs.
Last week, Michelle Mackey and her boyfriend, Jack Chambers, traveled to San Jose, Costa Rica, so Michelle Mackey could undergo dental surgery for rod implants and veneers at a dental clinic there.
A 32-year-old Chehalis resident who grew up in the Morton area, Michelle Mackey owns and operates the Rise & Grind coffee stand in Ashford near Mount Rainier National Park. Being self-employed, she chose to travel for the procedures as they were less expensive outside of the U.S.
Chambers said when the procedure began on Jan. 12 and anesthesia was applied, Michelle Mackey had an immediate negative reaction to it and went into cardiac arrest.
According to Chambers, it took nearly half an hour for emergency responders to restore her heartbeat.
“They were doing CPR the whole time so I don’t know if her brain was without oxygen for that long, but they kept her blood pumping. It was about 25 to 30 minutes before they got her stable,” Chambers said in a phone interview with The Chronicle from San Jose on Tuesday afternoon.
She was transferred to the intensive care unit at the nearby Hospital CIMA, a private hospital in San Jose, Costa Rica.
There, it was determined that Michelle Mackey had suffered at least two strokes along with a collapsed lung. Additionally, her kidneys were failing.
There was some positive news, as brain activity was detected and her pupils were responding to stimuli despite her remaining in a coma. Until Michelle Mackey actually wakes up, though, doctors won’t know if brain damage occurred or its extent.
Since Hospital CIMA is private, it costs $15,000 per day for her to continue receiving medical treatment there.
Shana Mackey, her sister, has subsequently flown to Costa Rica to join Chambers as they work with the U.S. Embassy and try to pay for procedures Michelle Mackey still needs in order to be stabilized and transferred to a local state-run hospital where treatment will be much more affordable.
Until her condition improves, she can’t be relocated.
So far, both Chambers and Shana Mackey have maxed out their credit cards to pay for procedures in the past few days, which included surgery on Monday to remove infected tissue caused by an IV in her arm. During that procedure, doctors discovered a small hole in Michelle Mackey’s trachea that will also need surgical repair.
As of Tuesday, Jan. 17, both Chambers and Shana Mackey have paid more than $41,000 for Michelle Mackey’s medical expenses.
They owe another $70,000 so far, including $60,000 to the hospital and $10,000 for specialists, Chambers said.
Michelle Mackey’s friends and family have set up a crowdfunding page for her at https://gofund.me/c70eaf95. The campaign had raised more than $31,000 as of Tuesday afternoon. The goal is $100,000.
They are also partnering with various local businesses throughout Lewis, Thurston and Pierce counties to accept cash donations to help pay for medical treatment. Those businesses include:
• Olympia Roof Doctor, located at 8120 Old Highway 99 SE in Tumwater
• Chehalis Roof Doctor, located at 1522 Bishop Road in Chehalis
• Mill Haus Cider Co. and Taproom, located at 303 Center St. E. in Eatonville
• Cedar Village IGA, located at 206 East Walnut St. in Winlock
• Rise & Grind coffee stand, located at 29716 state Route 706 E. in Ashford
For those unable to donate, the family asks for exposure of Michelle Mackey’s plight on social media and prayers.
A benefit auction is also being organized to help raise money for Michelle Mackey’s rising medical expenses. It is scheduled for March 5 from 5 to 7 p.m. at McFiler’s Theater located on 558 N Market Blvd. in downtown Chehalis.
Friends and family are currently working to set up a nonprofit for the auction so donations can be tax deductible.
