- - - - - - - - OCT 8 UPDATE - - - - - - - - - -

We have moved all updates on Angie's recovery to LOTSA HELPING HANDS. Below is the link to sign up. Here, you will be able to get current updates on her recovery.

https://my.lotsahelpinghands.com/community/angiescommunity/home

PLEASE NOTE that as she continues her at home rehab journey we need everyone's help to protect her healing environment. Please, no unannounced visits.

THANK YOU ALL SOOOOOO MUCH for your continued support!!

Thank you all so much for your generosity! I honestly would not have expected anything less, such an amazing group of family and friends!

Angie is so very loved!

I will continue to post updates here as I get them.

- - - - - - - - SEPT 1 - - - - - - - - - -

Limited visitation is still requested, please reach out to family or myself if you want more details on seeing her.

She is progressing very well, sitting up, awake, smiling.

She will most likely stay in Billings for another week, making sure the carotid stents and heart valve continue to work properly.

She is still non-verbal, but has started speech therapy as well as physical therapy, standing and moving her right side a bit.

Next steps is getting her into a rehab facility, either in Denver or Salt Lake.

Thanks again for all your support, love, good vibes!

- - - - - - - - AUG 29- - - - - - - - - -

4 PM UPDATE

Angie has upgraded rooms and is now in intermediate care room.

Flowers are allowed.

Please understand that she has had a pretty big week so far and this will be an ultra marathon, so for the time being I believe it’s best to limit visitation.

10 AM UPDATE

She just had her MRI. They are taking the tube out in a few!!!

She was awake a bunch last night.

All good stuff!

I painted her toes last night and I told her I did and she lifted her leg and looked at her toes!!!!!

Mom and I are just overwhelmed with joy right now.

- - - - - - - - AUG 28 - - - - - - - - - -

9:30 PM UPDATE

So, I’m sitting here with her and she squeezed my hand. Tears of joy. But, every time she opens her eyes she squeezes harder.

My sister! The most amazing woman I know!

Happiness is all around in her room with photos of friends and family this evening.

10:30 AM UPDATE

Good morning. It was a good night. Jason stayed with her as the doctors reduced Angie's sedation & pain meds. This morning she's awake a little more often and gave us a big thumbs up with a toe wiggle when the doctor asked.

We just got an update from the doctors. Angie's receiving minimal assistance from pumps & heart meds right now. So, they plan to remove the impeller pump today. The cardiologist just completed a sonogram to ensure that removing the impeller is a good move.

Next step will be to do the GI endoscopy to make sure everything looks good in her tummy.

lf all that goes well, they might remove her breathing tube today, too.

Angie's lovely mother, sister & step-dad are in with her now, pumping her full of love.

- - - - - - - - AUG 27 - - - - - - - - - -

6 PM UPDATE

Fibro muscular displasia

Plavix non responder

Those two things have led Angie to the deep dark hole she is currently in.

Angie’s mom, Laura and Ray as well as her brother Jerry have arrived and we all just got the entire rundown on what has happened over the last four days from Dr. Moore. Who is a friggin badass and a wonderful communicator.

Yesterday morning she was on a razors edge of surviving all of this.

Today is a miracle on how well she had recovered.

This is direct from Dr. Moore. She’s never seen an otherwise healthy young woman have so many unlucky things happen to her in such a short amount of time. And it’s a miracle she’s doing as well as she currently is. So whatever you all are doing is working. Keep it up.

That’s referring to all of us on the outside praying, sacrificing, candles, chants, crystals and the like. Keep it coming!

At this point the course is stable and they will continue to slow down the Impella device as her heart takes over once again. The vent will stay until the gastroenterologist can have a look at her stomach and see if there’s a bleed or not.

There’s still so much going on, but the digging has stopped for now and she’s climbed out of the bottom of the hole.

Hug those that need it. Even if they don’t want it. Forcible hugging! Yay!

9AM UPDATE

Michelle stayed with Angie last night and she did really well. That being said, she is still very very sick. She has a small bowel / intestinal bleed that will be getting looked at and dealt with sometime this morning. I don’t have a lot of info on that. It’s a setback for sure. But she’s got bigger problems as we all know.

She’s had four surgical procedures in two days so it would be nice to have a day of real rest and repair.

The cardiac surgeon saw her last night and said things look really good on that end with the impeller pump and he hopes to not see her again. Thank you Dr. Ra.

The neurologist said the stents are looking good as well. An MRI would be great, but not possible due to the impeller pump. Metal and magnets and all.

The nurse last night organized the 11 different IV meds. The nursing staff is all time great.

I hope you all go and do something wonderful today. Even for a few minutes. Just stop and enjoy the moments of life we take for granted.

- - - - - - - - AUG 26 - - - - - - - - - -

5 PM UPDATE

The balloon pump was not a good fit for her heart. So it’s out. The newly installed Impala engine/impeller pump is doing exactly what the cardio folks want. Her vitals are stable and in the right place. She’s still under sedation, ventilator and now a heart pump. Which is a lot, but this is all fully recoverable.

The team had to switch gears from a stroke victim to a cardiac patient this morning and it’s a tough transition. But the team is very optimistic at this time.

The next 24-48 hours will be about the same as long as she stays stable.

Working toward letting her broken heart heal, and not losing sight of the first reason she ended up here.

She’s not out of the woods by any stretch, but this is hopefully the bottom and working our way up and out of this terrible hole.

Keep the faith and keep the home fires burning.

9 AM UPDATE

:

Just talked with the vascular surgeon. He installed a balloon pump in her mitral artery. The valve in that artery was not closing and this is supposed to help the heart move more blood. It’s called mitral regurgitation. He said that he did not really see any problems.

She has fluid in the lungs that will have to be dealt with. Pneumonia.

She’s in a tough spot. They need to try and keep her blood pressure high, so if the balloon pump can produce what is needed.

It’s a delicate balancing act between blood profusion to the brain and heart health.

7 AM UPDATE:

Angie had a rough night. Dusty stayed with her.

She has had a cardiac episode and is on her way to have a pump installed in her heart. What kind of pump is unclear even to the surgeon at this point. They’ll do what they need to do.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

As you may or may not be aware, our dear friend Angie had a stroke Sunday morning, August 24.

Luckily, Michelle (her sister) was home with her and took the proper action to get Angie to Livingston Healthcare, and from there, they flew her to Billings. Upon arrival, they performed emergency surgery to correct the diversion in her carotid artery.

On Monday, August 25, they ended up having to perform a second surgery, replacing that initial one stent with four stents. As of right now, she is recovering and has family and friends at her side.

Angie is one of the toughest people out there, but this will be a long, hard recovery for her.

Any financial support you can give at this time would be greatly appreciated.