Emery's Medical Fund

My Dad, Emery,  was diagnosed with CHF (Congestive Heart Failure) in the year 2007, at the age of 45. The cause of his heart failure is genetic. Both his parents and grandparents died from heart related issues. It has been over the last few years that he has taken a downward turn. In July 2015 he had a Pacemaker/Defibrillator placed. It was shortly after this that he started having A-Fib 100% of the time. This caused him feel sick almost all the time. In 2016 he had multiple hospital admissions for fluid overload causing him to be unable to breathe. It was in October of last year that things really started to change. He spent most of the month in the hospital. We were by his side through it all. He was released and continued to show no improvement. He could no longer walk up stairs without help, he couldn't sleep at night from the fluid buildup making it hard to catch his breath, his nausea was nonstop, and his body always felt cold. Any quality of life he had was for the most part gone. Life was pretty unbearable. Then in March 2017 he was admitted to UCSD Hospital in La Jolla. The 20 medications that he had been taking over the years, to slow down his heart failure, were no longer working. His heart was functioning at a 10% ejection fraction. The normal is 55% or higher. He's currently awaiting a heart and kidney transplant. He has multiple IV medications helping him stay alive until a heart becomes available.  He is not able to receive an LVAD (Left Ventricular Assit Device), which usually bridges patients until transplant, due to the fact that he was given heparin for a while which caused him to test positive for HIT(heparin-induced thrombocytopenia). Doctors said it was too risky to do surgery for the LVAD. This whole event has devastated my entire family.

    My dad has always been a hard worker. He has always tried to put his family first, but during the last few years, struggling with CHF, this has become to hard for him. A typical day in the life of my dad would start at  5 a.m. He would take a train, to his long distant job. He wouldn’t  get home until after 6 p.m. He repeated this routine 5 days a week. Never once complaining. He was just grateful to have a job!  Then in October of 2016 when he could no longer work, my mom picked  up a second job to help with the finances. I began to prepare low sodium meals for him every week. I had hopes that it would make help him feel better and make his life easier not having to think about what he could and couldn't eat. Eventually he began not being able to eat more than some fruit or a small snack throughout the day because the nausea was so bad, he had no appetite. Then on 3/31/17 our world was turned upside down. My dads heart was failing fast. Everyday since has been an unknown. My dad was placed on the transplant list on 4/13/17 and is currently on the 1A list for a transplant. It could take up to 4 months for him to get a heart and kidney. He will have to stay in the hospital, away from home, until he receives a heart. As a result of his hospitalization and treatments the medical bills will begin to rise quickly.  A heart and kidney transplant can cost up to $1,500,000. The $50,000 goal is just a small amount for the cost of the medical care, rehabilitation, extended stays near hospital, and medications that my Dad will require. Doctors say that his recovery with a heart and kidney transplant could take 6 months to a year. Please help make my dads recovery be as stress-free as possible by contributing to his medical fund.

    My dad is literally my whole world and my best friend! I couldn't ask for a better man to have as my dad. I m truly blessed. My family continues to walk by faith and believe that God will get us through this. Life is a gift! My dads illness has made me cherish life and everyday I have in this life. Prayers mean the world to us, so thank you for your prayers and support.
 
“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:20
 
“If God brings you to it, He will lead you through it.” Suburbians 3:9