Claudia Hill Double Lung Transplant Fundraiser
Donation protected
My name is Claudia Hill. I’m married to an incredible man and the mom of 13 year old twin boys. I’m a self proclaimed foodie, I love to read and sing. I'm a big fan of Downton Abbey and The Crown and my family is my absolute joy. Before illness, I was employed as a Purchasing Manager at a Local Organic Food Distribution Company. In 1998, three months after the devastating loss of my mother due to metastatic breast cancer , I noticed a mole on my face that was growing in size. I went to the Dermatologist and had a biopsy. The results came back and determined that I have a disease called Sarcoidosis .
Sarcoidosis is a progressive inflammatory disease that affects multiple organs in the body, but mostly the lungs and lymph glands. In people with sarcoidosis , abnormal masses or nodules (called granulomas) consisting of inflamed tissues form in certain organs of the body. These granulomas may alter the normal structure and possibly the function of the affected organs. There is no cure for Sarcoidosis and it is not known what causes the disease. I had an aggressive treatment of steroids and immune suppressing drugs to stop the progression of the illness. For some people, this treatment is all it takes then the illness can go into remission. For me that was not the case.
Sarcoidosis continued to cause me major issues and eventually major heart and lung damage. Along with the skin issues and butterfly rash that was all over my face, I had a dry cough that would not go away and I couldn’t take more than a few steps without being short of breath. This affected my ability to work. In 2013, the dry cough became so bad that I began coughing up blood. Sarcoidosis had progressed and I was diagnosed with Pulmonary Hypertension , a condition that increases blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs and at the same time, Pulmonary Fibrosis , a lung condition when lung tissue becomes damaged and scarred. I had to leave the job and file for disability which cut our household income by 50%. At this stage, the only therapy left available is a double lung transplant .
At the time of my diagnosis, I was given only 3 years to survive if I did not have the surgery. I was determined that I was going to fight this condition. I couldn’t bear the idea of leaving my husband and children. I have too much to live for. None of us can ever imagine as a parent or as a daughter hearing those words or being faced with everything that is to come for our family. That is why we are putting a fund to try and help cover the financial aspects of being off work and all of the expenses that are coming. Now I am on 24/7 oxygen and a host of other very expensive drugs to maintain my current health while waiting for transplant. The surgery will take 12 hours minimum and I will be in ICU post surgical and monitoring for 1-3 weeks depending on if there are any complications.
I currently live in Central Valley CA 88 miles away from the Bay Area where housing prices are more affordable. If I cannot find suitable housing for myself and my family, I will be required to move into a local apartment closer to the hospital where I am being treated alone at my own expense. This would take me away from my children who need their mother and my husband, my strongest support system. There is also the cost of lifetime immune and anti rejection medications as well as hospital copayments, food and hotel stays for my care team while I am in the hospital. So the challenges are the cost of housing and relocation, required drugs and planning for end of life issues if necessary. My hope is of course that the surgery goes well and I can get back to my former life.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this! If you are able to help by donating, I will be eternally gratefully to you! If you share this fundraiser with others, that is wonderful as well. Let's see how many people will help this campaign go viral. Whether you can donate or not I still appreciate you! Please share this because believe it or not, we all know the power of positive social media ...be a part of it today! Give and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return. Every little bit helps. Any amount is enough for us, the act of kindness is what matters. And our family will be forever grateful. Blessings ,
Sarcoidosis is a progressive inflammatory disease that affects multiple organs in the body, but mostly the lungs and lymph glands. In people with sarcoidosis , abnormal masses or nodules (called granulomas) consisting of inflamed tissues form in certain organs of the body. These granulomas may alter the normal structure and possibly the function of the affected organs. There is no cure for Sarcoidosis and it is not known what causes the disease. I had an aggressive treatment of steroids and immune suppressing drugs to stop the progression of the illness. For some people, this treatment is all it takes then the illness can go into remission. For me that was not the case.
Sarcoidosis continued to cause me major issues and eventually major heart and lung damage. Along with the skin issues and butterfly rash that was all over my face, I had a dry cough that would not go away and I couldn’t take more than a few steps without being short of breath. This affected my ability to work. In 2013, the dry cough became so bad that I began coughing up blood. Sarcoidosis had progressed and I was diagnosed with Pulmonary Hypertension , a condition that increases blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs and at the same time, Pulmonary Fibrosis , a lung condition when lung tissue becomes damaged and scarred. I had to leave the job and file for disability which cut our household income by 50%. At this stage, the only therapy left available is a double lung transplant .
At the time of my diagnosis, I was given only 3 years to survive if I did not have the surgery. I was determined that I was going to fight this condition. I couldn’t bear the idea of leaving my husband and children. I have too much to live for. None of us can ever imagine as a parent or as a daughter hearing those words or being faced with everything that is to come for our family. That is why we are putting a fund to try and help cover the financial aspects of being off work and all of the expenses that are coming. Now I am on 24/7 oxygen and a host of other very expensive drugs to maintain my current health while waiting for transplant. The surgery will take 12 hours minimum and I will be in ICU post surgical and monitoring for 1-3 weeks depending on if there are any complications.
I currently live in Central Valley CA 88 miles away from the Bay Area where housing prices are more affordable. If I cannot find suitable housing for myself and my family, I will be required to move into a local apartment closer to the hospital where I am being treated alone at my own expense. This would take me away from my children who need their mother and my husband, my strongest support system. There is also the cost of lifetime immune and anti rejection medications as well as hospital copayments, food and hotel stays for my care team while I am in the hospital. So the challenges are the cost of housing and relocation, required drugs and planning for end of life issues if necessary. My hope is of course that the surgery goes well and I can get back to my former life.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this! If you are able to help by donating, I will be eternally gratefully to you! If you share this fundraiser with others, that is wonderful as well. Let's see how many people will help this campaign go viral. Whether you can donate or not I still appreciate you! Please share this because believe it or not, we all know the power of positive social media ...be a part of it today! Give and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return. Every little bit helps. Any amount is enough for us, the act of kindness is what matters. And our family will be forever grateful. Blessings ,
Organizer
Claudia Hill
Organizer
Patterson, CA
