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Veteran Needs Help - Carol Heide

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My sister, Carol Heide, is battling End Stage Renal Failure and is currently undergoing dialysis three times a week. She is only 54 years old. Before she can be put on a kidney donor list she must have extensive dental work done. Years of kidney disease and medicines have done signifcant damage. She must complete this dental work to be able to get on the Kidney Transplant List.
This is a picture of my beautiful daughter, Jacqueline. She is my reason for wanting more time. I want to see her get married, I want to see my grandchildren. And I want to spend more time with my wonderful son-in-law to be, Curtis.

Transplant recipients are at a great risk of infection after their transplant, this is why any dental work needs to be done before they will even be considered for a transplant. Also, none of this work will be covered by her Insurance unfortunately.

     Carol has been unable to work for some time now. Medicare does not cover this dental surgery. She went into Renal Failure in July of 2014 and had to have an emergency Tunnel Catheter placed in her chest. She needed immediate dialysis to sustain her life. Normally there is time for Fistula surgery, and time for it to mature for use. In her case, she went from surgery to place the catheter, to a dialysis unit in the hospital for her first treatment. She then began regular hemodialysis the next day at a dialysis center.  Two weeks later she had the fistula surgery.

It took about 4 months for the fistula to mature, and her tunnel catheter was removed in November 2014. She does not remember much of the first 4 or 5 months on dialysis because she passed out almost everyday she had dialysis. Her blood pressure runs extremely low on dialysis, which is not good for her health.

     Dialysis leaves her weak and she has ended up in the emergency room numerous times. The  average 5 year survival rate is 70% for 45-54 year olds (per kidney-support.org). She will need to have most of her teeth extracted and get dentures before she can get on a donor list. The monies raised here will cover the cost of the dental surgery, the surgeon, and dentures. Also, because of her fragile health and numerous health problems, she is unable to have the surgery at the Oral Surgeon’s office. A special operating room near Salem Hospital is required for this, which is an added expense around $6,000. 

     Carol joined the U.S. Army at age 18 and served our country for six years, including two tours overseas in Germany. While enlisted, she earned a Marksman badge for rifle, an Expert badge in Hand Grenade, two Good Conduct Medals, an Army Achievement medal, and had a Top Secret clearance. She was the gunner on an M60 machine gun team during her first tour in Germany. She served in 1st Signal Battalion, Kaiserslautern (K-town), West Germany, 34th Spt Battalion 6th Cavalry “Wagonmasters” (a Chinook Helicopter Unit), Ft. Hood, Texas and 1st Military Intelligence Battalion (Aerial Exploitation), Wiesbaden Army Airfield, West Germany.

      Carol stayed in Germany for two years after leaving the military and worked for several German firms. When she returned to civilian life she continued to serve our local community by working for Woodburn Police Department. She then became a 911 Communications Specialist and worked there for many years. 

      My sister is my hero. I am urging you to help me. (And I owe her for playing all her records when she joined the service!)  She is a sister, a mother, a daughter, and a friend to many.

     Please help me support my sister, Carol, and get her on the road to recovery! Thank you!
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Donations 

  • Brian Czajkowski
    • $250 
    • 6 yrs
  • Linda Bentz
    • $100 (Offline)
    • 8 yrs
  • Julie Roth
    • $300 (Offline)
    • 8 yrs
  • Horsin' Around 4-H Club
    • $200 (Offline)
    • 8 yrs
  • Linda Bentz
    • $200 (Offline)
    • 8 yrs
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Organizer

Linda Hofmann
Organizer
Silverton, OR

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