(Long story short - help us keep our parents in the home they love while we navigate dads LVAD recovery)
If you know my dad, Jerry, you probably know he'd give you the shirt off his back if he knew you needed it. We've grown up watching him live by the Golden rule, going out of his way to help his friends, friends of those friends, and beyond.
The last thing he would want is to ask for help for himself, but thats where we come in.
Dad had a massive heart attack shortly after a routine surgery in 2022. He survived it only because he was in the hospital already. Unfortunately, his heart did not survive undamaged, and he's been battling heart failure in the years since. You wouldn't know it by the way he could still chop up a tree or swap a transmission. He's fought hard to maintain the life he loves, and to continue helping where he could.
Early this year we learned that as strong as he seemed to the rest of us, his organs were lacking the oxygen they needed to survive much longer. He was told he may have about 6 months left, unless he decided to pursue an LVAD. Google it, it's interesting. Dad decided he has more to do here on earth, and agreed.
On March 2nd dad received his LVAD. This was an open heart surgery, and we've been told it's one of the most difficult surgeries a person can have and recover from. Dads recovery since then has been brutal, and he's fought bravely to come back to himself, and the rest of us that love him. He is in rehab now, working on regaining his independence and strength. He told his team on the way out, "I'm a mechanic. I fix things. I want to fix this." We know he's going to put in the work to have the best recovery possible.
We are hopeful that the LVAD will give him many more years to watch his grandchildren grow, and enjoy the things he loves. However, we've come to understand that the reality is that this recovery will be longer and harder than any of us had prepared for. His body was very sick before surgery, and he has a very difficult fight ahead of him.
The recovery process can take as long as six months. As much as I know Dad will want to work when he's able, we know it won't come as fast as he would like. We want to provide him with the security to focus on his recovery while he works towards that goal. There are a lot of unknowns, but we do know that his medical leave will expire in April and that the bills have to be paid.
The goal of this fundraiser is to help bridge the gap in the next few months. This will give us a chance to find a way to keep mom and dad in the home that they love while he recovers, and hopefully beyond that.
Thank you for reading, sharing, and helping in whatever way you can. We are all humbled and honored by the love and support you've shown dad and our entire family through all of this.
With love,
The Vixie family