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Mum ends up in coma after dream Bali getaway turns into nightmare

A hard-working mum’s long-awaited trip to Bali has ended in disaster after she was placed in an induced coma and left fighting for life – with her insurance company refusing to cover any of the $67,000 medical bill.

Abby and Richard Hartley arrived in Bali on the first day of August in what was their first getaway without their two children, Sophie and Toby.

The New Zealand mother had just finished Facetiming her family back home when she was overcome with crippling pain and rushed to the closest hospital.

After a series of CT scans, doctors noticed a twist in her bowel, which according to Sophie, caused a chunk of it to die.

“The following day mum was taken in for emergency surgery to remove the dead bowel,” Sophie wrote on a crowdfunding page for her mum.

The Hartley family are anxiously waiting on Abby to show signs of improvement. Source: Give A Little
The Hartley family are anxiously waiting on Abby to show signs of improvement. Source: Give A Little

“The surgery was very successful and for 48 hours mum was on the road to recovery until she took a turn for the worst.”

Ms Hartley was suffering from a condition known as respiratory distress syndrome, forcing doctors to place her in an induced coma.

“As if that wasn’t enough mum produced a very severe infection and had a very high fever (40+ C )and x-rays showed fluid in her lungs and one lung had collapsed,” Sophie added.

“Dad told us kids to get on the first plane over from NZ as things weren’t looking too good and mum needed all the support she could get.”

Upon arrival, the Hartley family was dealt a serious scare when Abby’s blood pressure dropped to a dangerously low level as her heart rate soared.

The Hartley family from Hamilton, from left: Richard, Abby, Sophie and Toby. Source: Facebook/Abby Hartley
The Hartley family from Hamilton, from left: Richard, Abby, Sophie and Toby. Source: Facebook/Abby Hartley

“Mum’s infection has progressed into Septicaemia and she requires very expensive and rare antibiotics,” Sophie said, before revealing their insurance would not be covering the costs.

“After a very long and stressful battle with the insurance company they have made the final decision to not cover any medical costs therefore we have been left with a very expensive medical bill.”

The mounting medical treatment saw the family from Hamilton handed two bills totalling more than $67,000, prompting the family to seek help via a crowdfunding page that has already raised more than $31,000.

“Mum is a fighter and we can all tell she is trying very hard to fight all problems that are thrown her way,” the post read, adding that they’re not giving up hope.

Donations to the Hartley family can be made here.