Alfredo's Liver Transplant Recovery
Donation protected
Friends, Family and Well-Wishers, we come to you and ask for help
Almost two years ago, October 2015 my family received the most devastating news anyone could ever hear. Alfredo was diagnosed with End Stage Liver Disease and was told he would need a liver transplant to survive. We didn’t understand what that meant and what the road ahead was going to unfold for us. We were now a family struggling to find answers and deciding what we were going to do. Without transplant he now had a life mortality of 53% based on this blood work number they were giving us. We didn’t know what any of this meant. We were overwhelmed and just needed time to take it all in. But did we have time?
Alfredo was devastated, did this mean he would not see Jacob graduate, continue to grow into a young man, go to the Marine Corps, get married and have a family? Ultimately leave his family without him. We started doing our research to understand what this life would now entail with him getting sicker every day.
Alfredo has been out of work for over a year and a half as he is too sick most days to even get out of bed and most other days he is in and out of the hospital for multipe days and weeks at a time. The hospital has now become our second home. You begin to learn the CNA’s and Nurses all by name and you find yourself giving them instructions and advising them how to care of him. This wasn’t our first stay nor our last stay.
Our focus was to do everything we could to keep him comfortable until he could get a liver transplant. Little did we know it wasn’t that easy. They don’t have a liver readily available for whomever needs one and there is no guarantee that you will even get one. I was at a loss for words. What do you mean there isn’t one? He is so sick and dying? Can we buy one? I don’t understand? I had so many emotions and unanswered questions? Why was this happening? We didn’t know how to handle any of this and now realized our lives had now changed forever.
Fast forward to October 2016, we are now being referred to Oregon Health & Science University the best transplant hospital in the area and told to even qualify for a transplant Alfredo would have to go through multiple tests, EKG’s, Ultrasounds, MRI’s, CT Scans, Biopsies and Bloodwork along with a two-day interview that not only did he have to pass, his Mother and I had to be there to show we all deserved this organ transplant. Now the reality is setting in he might not live, but we are told to remain optimistic and not lose hope, however the reality is that there are not enough donated organs to share, and this is what leads to complications. Nationally, 30% of patients waiting for a liver transplant do not survive.
For the past nine months Alfredo has been in and out of the hospital numerous times and the visits grow more frequent. They continued to give him medication in hopes of getting him healthy enough to survive a transplant
On June 20th, 2017, we got what would turn out to be (the call) we were initially a backup to the patient that was scheduled to receive the liver. This was our 4th call for the possibility of a match and transplant for Alfredo. At this point you almost expect to go home with no transplant and while waiting in the hospital we received a 2nd call explaining the original recipient could not accept the liver, at 7:45 pm Alfredo was rushed away to what would be a 7 hour surgery. His mother, his son and I all had the chance to say goodbye in case he didn’t make it out of surgery.
Alfredo has had several complications and must fight every day to survive. Today he is again in the hospital due to a fever of 104. He was admitted Wednesday June 28th with a note Welcome back to 4A. He was just discharged on Monday June 26th after spending 6 days in recovery for his liver transplant.
Alfredo has to start every day with multiple medications (20 Pills twice a day) even with insurance, all of the expenses from the doctor’ bills, co-pays, travel to and from O.H.S.U. and lost wages, we find ourselves in a financial burden. We are told he will require lifelong anti-rejection medications, liver biopsies and follow ups to keep him alive. The medications alone run a little over $2,800.00 a month.
The outpouring of love, concern and prayers throughout his illness have been truly amazing and we are very grateful. It cannot be denied that prayer is powerful when looking at the timing of transplantation with perfect matching for Alfredo.
During this time, family and friends have continually asked “What can we do to help?” We are asking for your generosity and help by contributing to our fund to “Get Alfredo On The Road To Recovery!”
Thank you for taking the time to read our campaign and feel free to inquire about Alfredo’s progress! We have a long road ahead of us. Thank you for anything and everything you can do!
-Alfredo and Family
Almost two years ago, October 2015 my family received the most devastating news anyone could ever hear. Alfredo was diagnosed with End Stage Liver Disease and was told he would need a liver transplant to survive. We didn’t understand what that meant and what the road ahead was going to unfold for us. We were now a family struggling to find answers and deciding what we were going to do. Without transplant he now had a life mortality of 53% based on this blood work number they were giving us. We didn’t know what any of this meant. We were overwhelmed and just needed time to take it all in. But did we have time?
Alfredo was devastated, did this mean he would not see Jacob graduate, continue to grow into a young man, go to the Marine Corps, get married and have a family? Ultimately leave his family without him. We started doing our research to understand what this life would now entail with him getting sicker every day.
Alfredo has been out of work for over a year and a half as he is too sick most days to even get out of bed and most other days he is in and out of the hospital for multipe days and weeks at a time. The hospital has now become our second home. You begin to learn the CNA’s and Nurses all by name and you find yourself giving them instructions and advising them how to care of him. This wasn’t our first stay nor our last stay.
Our focus was to do everything we could to keep him comfortable until he could get a liver transplant. Little did we know it wasn’t that easy. They don’t have a liver readily available for whomever needs one and there is no guarantee that you will even get one. I was at a loss for words. What do you mean there isn’t one? He is so sick and dying? Can we buy one? I don’t understand? I had so many emotions and unanswered questions? Why was this happening? We didn’t know how to handle any of this and now realized our lives had now changed forever.
Fast forward to October 2016, we are now being referred to Oregon Health & Science University the best transplant hospital in the area and told to even qualify for a transplant Alfredo would have to go through multiple tests, EKG’s, Ultrasounds, MRI’s, CT Scans, Biopsies and Bloodwork along with a two-day interview that not only did he have to pass, his Mother and I had to be there to show we all deserved this organ transplant. Now the reality is setting in he might not live, but we are told to remain optimistic and not lose hope, however the reality is that there are not enough donated organs to share, and this is what leads to complications. Nationally, 30% of patients waiting for a liver transplant do not survive.
For the past nine months Alfredo has been in and out of the hospital numerous times and the visits grow more frequent. They continued to give him medication in hopes of getting him healthy enough to survive a transplant
On June 20th, 2017, we got what would turn out to be (the call) we were initially a backup to the patient that was scheduled to receive the liver. This was our 4th call for the possibility of a match and transplant for Alfredo. At this point you almost expect to go home with no transplant and while waiting in the hospital we received a 2nd call explaining the original recipient could not accept the liver, at 7:45 pm Alfredo was rushed away to what would be a 7 hour surgery. His mother, his son and I all had the chance to say goodbye in case he didn’t make it out of surgery.
Alfredo has had several complications and must fight every day to survive. Today he is again in the hospital due to a fever of 104. He was admitted Wednesday June 28th with a note Welcome back to 4A. He was just discharged on Monday June 26th after spending 6 days in recovery for his liver transplant.
Alfredo has to start every day with multiple medications (20 Pills twice a day) even with insurance, all of the expenses from the doctor’ bills, co-pays, travel to and from O.H.S.U. and lost wages, we find ourselves in a financial burden. We are told he will require lifelong anti-rejection medications, liver biopsies and follow ups to keep him alive. The medications alone run a little over $2,800.00 a month.
The outpouring of love, concern and prayers throughout his illness have been truly amazing and we are very grateful. It cannot be denied that prayer is powerful when looking at the timing of transplantation with perfect matching for Alfredo.
During this time, family and friends have continually asked “What can we do to help?” We are asking for your generosity and help by contributing to our fund to “Get Alfredo On The Road To Recovery!”
Thank you for taking the time to read our campaign and feel free to inquire about Alfredo’s progress! We have a long road ahead of us. Thank you for anything and everything you can do!
-Alfredo and Family
Organizer and beneficiary
Lashaunda Coleman
Organizer
Beaverton, OR
Alfredo Rodriguez
Beneficiary
