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Double Lung Transplant for Van

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Let me start by telling you a little background on two of the strongest, amazing, loving and giving people I know…..my in-laws, Van & Judy Garrett!  

My mother and father in law have had quite a rough go the last 10 years. It all started when my father in law was diagnosed with Non-Hoskins Lymphoma. That ordeal started a 10 years of medical treatments that has caused many hospital visits, trips to Mayo clinic (which is a 7 ½ hour trip) and the decline in his health which resulted in his need to stop working. The Lymphoma destroyed his trigeminal nerve. That alone was a very serious surgery that lasted hours and could have gone wrong at any time.

After this Van was in such severe pain that he couldn’t function. He was so bad that he wished to die. It was so unbearable. Mayo Clinic decided to try and help his pain by having him go through yet another surgery…..two more in 3 days that were 6-7 hours each, to be exact. These surgeries were his only chance to get through life without being in total misery. They put in a Medtronic unit and that finally gave him some relief.

While going through all of that with Van, my mother in law was having severe headaches which turned out to be a brain tumor. Which of course resulted in needing surgery to remove it and follow-ups to help get over some paralysis and other cognitive issues. So here they had to deal with two brain surgeries within 5 weeks. Luckily they had insurance, but it only covered part of these expenses. On top of that they had to pay for additional high risk insurance….which you can only imagine what those costs were.

Fast forward a few years……all while continuing appointments, medicines, high insurance, ect and Van has lots of trouble breathing. He has COPD and has very low functioning lungs and had to be put on oxygen full time. The doctors gave him 5 years to live. They were told at that time that Van was not a candidate for a lung transplant. Well, 3 years later and his condition has deteriorated rapidly. So they decided to try another hospital. After very intense testing and many trips 3 ½ hours from home they have agreed to add him towards the top of the  lung transplant list!!! Praise God! While at his recent appointment they learned that his right lung is actually not functioning at all.  His left lung is only functioning at 14%. He is struggling and NEEDS this transplant. It is his ONLY chance for survival.

Even after insurance their medical bills, housing, travel, ect will be substantial! Then if all goes well and he has the transplant the anti-rejection medicine will be for the rest of his life. I feel these two deserve any help they can get. Van is terrified that after they two of them worked hard their entire lives that he is going to lose their home, assets, ect due to all the bills his conditions have racked up. He doesn’t want to leave his wife of 46 years this way. He is pleading for help to ease their burden. We expect expenses to be thousands beyond even this $20,000. 

So please, if you can donate anything at all please consider helping them. If you can’t, please pray for both of them and spread the word so others may be able to help them. They have had such a rough 10 years and they just need a break. 

Thank you from the bottom of my heart....
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Donations 

  • Janet & Mark Dombroski
    • $100 
    • 5 yrs
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Organizer and beneficiary

Danielle Garrett
Organizer
Lovington, IL
Van Garrett
Beneficiary

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