Organ Transplants for Darrell

Update:
Dad has been going through the liver / kidney transplant evaluation at the Mayo Clinic since April 3rd.  Due to 5 hospitalizations , 4 trips to the ER, 3 ICU stays,  it has prolonged the usual 3 week evaluation into 10 weeks.  During this process,  the Dr's have seen fit to add a feeding tube to his routine which we do every evening for 12 hours.  Luckily insurance covers the medical equipment, but the actual nutrician & extra protein is an out of pocket expense.
Dad also has weekly parasintis done to eleviate the pain & fluid that he accumulates through having end stage renal disease.  
Three times a week he also goes to dialysis for 4 hours at a time.  He is usually drained on those days afterwards.  
We appreciate & Thank you for tide personal messages, phone calls,  & support!!"

Thanks for coming to our campaign to raise money for my Dad, Darrell.  Darrell has been living in St. Louis for the last 6 months, and in the last 60 days, has been hospitalized twice, both times in the ICU on life support. He managed to recover from life support both times, but he has severe liver failure, and is having issues with the beginning stages of kidney failure.  He is currently in St. Louis University Hospital, and according to the doctors, to be released from the hospital, needs to go to an inpatient rehabilitation center for 24-hour nursing care and physical rehabilitation.  At this point, Dad is no longer capable of living by himself, no matter how well he does in rehab.  Since he has no family in St. Louis, or anywhere close, I want to get him back here to Florida, where he has family in the immediate area, to look after him, check on him, and make sure that he is getting the best care possible.  He can't do this on his own.  

I spent two weeks with him in St. Louis, and during that time, he was told how serious his medical situation is, and he understands.  His condition is grave at best, and because of his hospitalizations, the doctors have determined that he is not physically strong enough at this time for a liver transplant, and it would be at least a year before they would consider this as an option for him.  While this is discouraging, we remain hopeful!  

Being away from my Husband and Children for those two weeks also showed me that I am not in a position to care for him while he is in St. Louis.  So I talked with him, and we agreed, that the best place for him would be right here in Florida, where I can be close to help him as needed, he has his family right here for support, and I have worked to get him accepted to Brooks Rehabilitation here in Jacksonville.  Now the only thing left to do, is to come up with the money to get him here, and get him set up.

Dad will have bills and expenses.  As much as I wish I could help him with that, we are just not in a position financially to do so.  Dad has A LOT of friends.  You all know him as the happy go lucky Darrell, with his blazing personality as big as the sky, always quick to smile, and brighten a friends day.  But now, he needs your help.  Many of you have reached out, from all across the country, people whose lives he has touched, and asked how you could help.  With the out pouring of support for Darrell, and those who have said they want to help, while you may be far away, we have started this campaign as a way for his friends to show your love, support, and genuine caring for Darrell.  

At this point, we don't know, medically speaking, what will happen in two weeks, 6 months, or if he will make it another year.  It is a huge question mark, and only time passing will give us any answers.  The one thing we do know is that being here in Florida will give him the support network he needs for the best chance of recovery, even though recovery may be limited.  His future is uncertain, but we all know that Family is not.  Family is not always blood relatives, and those who have been in his life, who he has helped, who he has touched, are an extended family because of the bonds and connections you have made with him.  Family steps up when the cards are down, and now he needs his extended Family to step up, to show him your love for him, your support through his ordeal, and how much he has touched your life in the way that only he could.

Please help Darrell by donating today, to cover expenses and get him here to Florida.  Here, he will not only get the best care possible, but will have family right next to him through this process, wherever it may take him.  No one deserves to go through this alone.  Please donate today.