Hi, my name is Nicole and I’m fundraising on behalf of my mother Cheryl. On Tuesday June 6th, my mom was doing her usual weighted exercise routine after work when she began to feel unusual pain and disorientation. Despite her vitals looking normal when paramedics arrived, she and my sister Samantha persisted in getting further diagnostic work up. After what can only be described as courage, careful observation, and life saving emergency action, Samantha and the staff at nearby hospital Twin Cities discovered that my mom was suffering not from a heart attack, but instead from a Stanford type A aortic dissection with aortic aneurysm. Aortic dissection is often fatal the moment it occurs, with the mortality rate increasing evermore as every hour goes by without treatment. My mom had already survived several hours without a diagnosis by the time they found her dissection, and was immediately prepped for emergency transfer to the nearest qualified cardiothoracic surgical team. At 1 am on Wednesday June 7th, Cheryl underwent roughly 7 hours of emergency abdominal aortic surgery, which she miraculously survived. She has since been recovering in the French Hospital ICU.

Because of Dr. Perry’s surgical expertise, the hospitals’ sense of urgency, an available donor graft, my sister’s persistence, and my mother’s own strength and dedication to her physical health, she is alive against all odds. Truly so many stars had to align for her to make it, and everything that could go right, did go right. We are beyond thankful for your texts, love, and prayers as she continues to make her way out of the woods. We are overcome with gratefulness that she is still with us, and are trying to keep her focused solely on recovery at this point. Anyone who knows my mom knows she would worry about medical bills while declining to ever ask for help outright, so we have decided to ask for help on her behalf. Funds will be used to cover her surgical and ICU costs, as well as medical costs not yet incurred as she continues to receive follow up treatment at the hospital (we do not have a projected discharge date yet.) Our goal is to alleviate her emotional and financial stresses after this life altering ordeal so that her mind (and her heart) can get the rest she desperately needs.

We know not everyone has a dollar to spare, so any sharing and word of mouth is so appreciated. On behalf of our family, I want to thank you for taking the time to check in on Cheryl and reading her story.