Main fundraiser photo

Craig's road to recovery

Donation protected
Craig needs our help! If you know him you know the past few years have not been easy for him. He's a fighter and always tries to stay as positive as he can but this most recent set back is taking a toll on him.
As some of you may know Craig had a kidney transplant last year due to both his kidneys failing. It was a long road for him but he recovered from the transplant surgery and was doing well. 8 weeks ago that all changed. He wasn't himself and I could tell something was wrong. I finally gave him no choice and took him to urgent care. And I'm so glad I did. We were not there long and the emergent care doctor informed us they were not equipped to handle this and she called 911. Craig had severe double pneumonia and he was septic. He was rushed to Albany Medical Center for treatment. Once we arrived at Albany Med they ran more tests and unfortunately the ER doctor informed us that the kidney was also failing. That was not something either one of us was expecting to hear and the possibility of another transplant was overwhelming. But we had to think positive and try to focus on one issue at a time and the immediate concern was for his lungs and oxygen level.
His breathing continued to get worse so he was moved to the MICU and had to be put on a ventilator. For the next 24 hours he was sedated and they continued to run tests and started dialysis. It was heartbreaking to just sit there and feel so helpless but I wouldn't leave his side. They would update me as they had more information but it wasn't good. He was airlifted from Albany Medical Center to Yale New Haven Hospital where his transplant team was. He spent the next 12 days at Yale where they treated the pneumonia and tried to figure out why the kidney was failing. His kidney biopsy did show some damage but they were optimistic it could bounce back with a little time. He was back on dialysis to help the kidney along but they were having a tough time regulating his blood pressure, which was a concern.
Once the double lung infection cleared up, his breathing was back to normal and they were able to get his blood pressure under control he was released from Yale. He was taken out of work and would now need to have dialysis 3 times a week until his levels returned to normal range. Since the doctors were optimistic his kidney functions would return, we were hopeful it wouldn't take too long. It's now been 6 weeks since he left the hospital and although his numbers have improved they still are not where they should be. The biggest concern is keeping his blood pressure regulated because high or low pressure can further damage the kidney. He was put on multiple bp meds and has to check and chart his bp numerous times throughout the day. He's been out of work for 8 weeks and he's starting to stress over not having any income and not knowing how long until he's able to get back to work. Since this all happened so fast there was no time to plan ahead. Between the hospital bills, all his prescriptions, doctor co-pays and his personal bills it's getting very overwhelming for him. He does have health insurance but that doesn't even begin to cover it all, especially since this started in Albany where he was out of his network.
I've set this up hoping to help relieve some of the financial burden and stress on him so he can just focus on getting better. He's not the type of person that would ever ask for help that's why I'm doing it. He needs all of our support now more than ever to help him through this tough time. He's weak, he's tired and he doesn't always feel very good but he continues to fight everyday. Any donation is greatly appreciated. The outpouring of love and prayers thus far have been amazing. Please share this link to share Craig's story. Thank you!!
Donate

Donations 

  • Anonymous
    • $25 
    • 6 yrs
Donate

Organizer and beneficiary

Tiffany DeFruscio Mills
Organizer
Waterbury, CT
Craig Colangelo
Beneficiary

Your easy, powerful, and trusted home for help

  • Easy

    Donate quickly and easily.

  • Powerful

    Send help right to the people and causes you care about.

  • Trusted

    Your donation is protected by the  GoFundMe Giving Guarantee.