Debby’s Heart and Double Lung Transplant

Hello everyone, I am fundraising for my mother Debby. On September 10th 2020 she underwent a heart and double lung transplant at the Cleveland Clinic. Let me tell you her story... Please bare with me as I will do my best to be medically correct in telling her story. However I know best from what I have saw her go through for the last 19 years. On January 31st, 2001 my mother suffered a heart attacked. At this time they discovered a hole in her heart, something she was probably born with but unaware of. From there it was down hill. Over the years her health declined and she was diagnosed with Eisenmenger Syndrome which is a very rare disease - A heart defect that causes a hole to develop between two chambers of your heart is the most common cause of Eisenmenger syndrome. This hole causes blood to circulate abnormally in your heart and lungs. Increased blood flow returns to your lungs instead of going to the rest of your body. The blood vessels in your lung arteries become stiff and narrow, increasing the pressure in your lungs' arteries. This permanently damages the blood vessels in your lungs. My mother having this caused her to develop Pulmonary Hypertension in her lungs as well, forcing her to be on oxygen 24/7 with hardly any means of physical activity especially over the last 9 years. When that wasn’t enough the doctors also found an Aneurysm right on top of her heart. All these combined made her not a candidate for any type of corrective heart surgery. I could go on and on as I have watched her suffer for years. She has taken over 30 pills a day for years. She hasn’t been on a bike ride, she hasn’t ran around the block, she has never been able to play sports with her grandkids, or go hiking with my father, she has never been able to fish with her grandson, go for long walks in the woods with her son, she hasn’t been able to ride roller coasters or go horse back riding, ride in an airplane, she hasn’t been able to do any physical activity in years. She has slept 18 hours out of most days, not able to hardly catch her breath, in pain always. She has spent countless days in the ICU at the Cleveland Clinic, has underwent thousands of tests over the years. The last couple years she really had taken a turn for the worst, her pulmonary and heart doctor at the Clinic told her she was running out of time. They only had 1 final hope at saving her life and that was having her take all the necessary steps to be listed on a donor transplant list for a heart and double lungs. About 2 years ago her and my father Jeff started this very long process. Side by side they spent days after days at the Cleveland Clinic for testing and prepping to be listed on the transplant list. On January 7th 2020 my mother Debby was officially listed on the Heart and Lung Transplant list. From here everything else was in God’s hands. All my family could do now is wait and pray. Day after day we did...then the phone call came. On September 9th, 2020 the Cleveland Clinic called and told my mother they had a Heart and double Lung match for her, you need to get to the clinic now they told her. When I had first got the call from my brother that had woke me and I am sure I can speak for everyone dear to my mother’s heart as well, I was in complete shock. So many feelings were rushing at me all at once, scared, shocked, blessed, thankful, worried, happy. I was not sure if my mother would ever get that call, and she did! At 5:21pm on September 10th 2020 they had officially made the first incision on my mom for her new Heart and Double lung transplant. At around 10:30 pm my father called me with tears in his eyes and told me the sweetest words I have ever hurd “mom has made it out of surgery.” I had witnessed my first real miracle in my life. God is good and miracles happen all the time, on this day one happened for my mother. Over the last 4 weeks she has had a very hard road at recovery but God is amazing and she is off the ventilator and doing well. She is leaving the Cleveland Clinic with no oxygen for the first time in years. She has a very, very long hard road ahead. But with God hand in hand with her she will win this battle! My mother is single-handedly the strongest willed person I have ever met in my entire life. I have watched her go through so much over the years, be so sick, so tired, so weak and yet always gives back to the people she loves. She has done so much for the people in her life and made such a difference in many. She is an angel sent from above I truly believe. I know she is mine for sure. I would not be who I am today or where I have gotten without her by my side every step of the way she truly has been the wings that have carried me along life’s journey. Most amazing in the midst of her illness, pain, and suffering she has lived her life for God, she has always put him first, had faith in his plan and never doubted him. My father is also the  most amazing person I have ever come across. He has been by my mothers side step-by-step every day for all of these years of her illness. He has never missed an appointment at the Cleveland clinic, he has been there for every test, he has been there for every doctor visit, he has been by her side every hospital stay. He has slept countless nights in the hospital either next to her in a chair or in the waiting room if he wasn’t allowed. He has been on this journey with her from day one and never left her side.  He is an amazing person who has always been strong for everyone in his life. On top of being by my mother’s side everyday for years he has still always made time  for my brother and myself before taking time for himself.  He has always been there for us and raised us right and loved us unconditionally. He is the true definition of a hero in my eyes. I know my parents would feel very uneasy if they knew I was asking so that is why I have not told them but I am asking for your help now and support. They were told after the surgery all the costs and expenses for all the medical bills, medications, testing, surgeries, hospital stays, nurse and physical therapy visits, they will have hospital bills that will be endless and endless when it is all said and done. They will have to pay on this for the rest of there lives. It would not matter the cost, you could never put a price on saving somebody’s life. What happened to my mother is simply a miracle and blessing from the good lord. He on September 10th had bigger plans for her life. She has a purpose here still, maybe to inspire others once she is fully recovered! So today I am asking for anybody’s help who can give even just a little. My goal is to simply raise enough to just help them get a little head start and not have to worry so much about the money part and focus more on a chance at a new life itself. To be able to help my father stay home from work form a period of time to be able to be by her side everyday until she is fully recovered. I am beyond blessed and grateful for all of the amazing people that have been a part of her journey who have lifted her up in prayer every day you are truly amazing and I cannot thank you enough. She has a long road ahead. The first year is the most crucial. But together hand in hand with the lord and all your prayers my mother will be a Heart and Double lung transplant survivor! I would also like to give a huge thank you to the Cleveland Clinic and transplant team for saving my mother’s life. Thank you to all the surgeons, doctors, nurses, coordinators and anyone else who may have played a role in her care for the duration of her stay. To my knowledge the Cleveland Clinic only performs a Heart and a Double Lung Transplant 1 or 2 times a year and they are an award winning transplant center. Cleveland Clinic is top in the world and I am forever grateful for all of these amazing people.  In my final closing statement I want to simply say a prayer to the family who lost a loved one in order to save my mother’s life. There will never be a day that goes by that I won’t thank God for the blessing they gave my mother for another chance at life. I don’t know you but I love you and I always will for the gift of life you have given my mother. With love and gratitude... Debby’s daughter