What started out as a "simple" visit to the ER with some pain in his knee (that was due to a torn meniscus) and chest pains,  has now turned into the ordeal of their lives!!

On December 3rd, 2018, Andy went to the hospital hoping to get his knee looked at.  He had also been experiencing chest pains off and on for about 2 months.   During the first week, he had a heart Cath that discovered a 97.5% blockage in the main artery to the heart and that "widow maker artery" was stented.  He finally returned home, still having chest pain and bleeding issues.  Within a few days, he had to go back to the ER.  He was there for the second week with no complete, agreeable diagnoses by the medical staff…basically his pain symptoms did not match up with his diagnosis.  He again returned home, only to go back to the ER with chest pain and bleeding again.  During the third week, a different type of heart catherization was done which demonstrated many blockages. Again, a consensus did not occur to treat Andy's heart. Later in the week, a Phlebotomist came in to get his arterial blood gases, missed the artery and continued to try until the procedure was successful in getting arterial blood.  However, this resulted in the a major blood clot in the forearm, damage to the muscles in the area, and loss of feeling and use of hand. The next day he was taken into surgery to try and save the muscles in the forearm toward the hand and remove blood clots that had formed.  With much bleeding and pain of the open forearm wound site and the continued chest pain, he was transferred to MUSC in Charleston, SC, for further care and management.  Since being at MUSC, Andy has had 3 stents placed in his heart via heart catherization, 4 surgeries of the forearm to possibly repair the damage to the forearm muscles, along with many blood transfusions. Throughout the surgeries to the foreman and hoping to close the open surgical site, Andy has been told he may never regain use of his hand and fingers.  Andy is looking at a very long recovery and rehabilitation. 

We humbly ask for your continued prayers and any monetary help that you can give them in this very trying time.

Andy has always been for his family and wife, Melia, supporting her in triathlons and other races.  They both love the outdoors,  getting in Melia's jeep, riding with the top down (Jeeps for Jesus & Jeep Girls), and enjoying their 4 year old grandson, Colton. So much is going to change for them, but they know God will help them through whatever they may encounter in the long, hard road ahead!