Donate to Rick's Life-Saving Transplant Journey

Dear friends, family, and strangers,

My name is Amber and I am reaching out to you today with a heavy heart and deep sense of urgency. Many of you may already know that my husband, Rick, has been battling chronic back pain for over a decade. Despite the constant pain and the countless treatments he has undergone, our insurance has denied the stimulator procedure that he needs to help alleviate his back pain. We have filed an appeal and it was again denied. Currently his only option is to continue to take pain medication that makes him drowsy and unable to drive.

But this part might come to a shocker to you. Two years ago our world was turned upside down when Rick was diagnosed with Stage 4 Liver Cirrhosis due to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. The diagnosis came after routine scans and bloodwork revealing alarmingly low platelet counts and an enlarged spleen. Since then, Rick's health has been on a steady decline. He suffers from severe fatigue, memory loss, balance issues, and heavy bleeding. It has finally come to the point where the medications that he takes for his back pain combined with the symptoms and medications he takes for his liver are making it impossible for him to work.

Rick's condition requires constant medical attention, including bi-annual endoscopies and colonoscopies to monitor for dangerous esophageal varices that could potentially burst and be life threatening.

Initially, his gastroenterologist believed that his liver was too damaged for a transplant, but after further evaluation, Rick has been approved for the living donor program at the University of Washington Transplant Center where they will take a portion of a matching living donor's liver and completely replace his. The donor's liver will grow back to normal and from the small portion given to Rick, that piece will grow into a full functioning healthy liver. It's wild I know but I am thankful that it's an option.

We are now in the crucial phase of preparing for a potential transplant. Rick needs to undergo numerous tests and get clearance to be fully accepted into the program. Our son, John, will be the first to be tested as a potential donor since he has just turned 18. Our daughter, Abby, will follow when she reaches the required age. If any of you are interested/able in being tested as a possible match please reach out and let me know. I can direct you to the number you have to call and the application you will need to fill out. The first step is knowing if you are a blood match so knowing your blood type would help.

However, our financial situation is crumbling. With Rick unable to work and my photography business not being a consistent certain source of income, we are facing uncertain future. Recently since Rick had to stop working, his disability claim went on for nearly three months requiring us to send in more and more paperwork only to deny the entire claim in the end with no reason given. I have since filed a new claim but if this one is even approved they won't pay him for the time he already was off work due to medical leave. This is leaving us with no steady income to cover our living expenses, let alone the mounting medical bills. We are struggling to pay our bills and provide food for our family, and the prospect of future medical expenses is overwhelming.

We are humbly asking for your help. Any contribution, no matter how small, will make a significant difference in our lives. Your support will help us cover medical bills, daily living expenses, and the costs associated with Rick's transplant preparation and recovery. Not to mention the preparataion and recovery of one of our children if they end up being a donor match. We are deeply grateful for any assitance you can provide and for sharing our story with others who might be able to help.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your kindness, generosity, and support during this incredibly challenging time.

With so much love and gratitude,

The Carl Family

Rick, Amber, John, Abby