On February 15, 2024, my uncle, Eric, arrived at a hospital in Mexicali, Baja California, with low oxygen saturations, shortness of breath, abdominal pain, and trouble speaking. He was discharged home a few hours later. The following day, his symptoms further progressed, so he returned to the hospital. This time, he was unable to walk and was admitted. They ran tests and diagnosed him with a perforated intestine. He was taken into the operating room for emergency surgery. During the surgery, they found that his intestine was not, in fact, perforated. They instead removed his gallbladder, even though there was no evidence that there was anything wrong with it. Our family was told the surgeon could not close the incision properly because he had pneumonia, and closing the incision with his inflammation would prevent him from breathing properly. A thin plastic covering was placed between his skin and his intestines where the muscle should be. Following the surgery, he was intubated and was in a medically induced coma for 2 weeks. Luckily, he survived and was discharged home after 28 days, although his incision was never properly closed. He has sought a second opinion, and it was determined that the cause of his symptoms initially was a hernia. The covering has now adhered to his intestines, making surgical removal more complicated.

He was the sole provider for his household and is now disabled. Our family has been able to cover the costs until now, but is now asking for help to cover the cost of his surgery to remove the covering and repair his hernia. Any amount helps. Thank you.

El 15 de febrero de 2024, mi tío Eric llegó a un hospital en Mexicali, Baja California, con saturación de oxígeno baja, dificultad para respirar, dolor abdominal y dificultad para hablar. Le dieron de alta unas horas después. Al día siguiente, sus síntomas empeoraron, por lo que regresó al hospital. Esta vez, no podía caminar y fue ingresado. Le hicieron pruebas y le diagnosticaron un intestino perforado. Lo llevaron al quirófano para una cirugía de emergencia. Durante la cirugía, descubrieron que, de hecho, su intestino no estaba perforado. En cambio, le extirparon la vesícula biliar, aunque no había evidencia de que tuviera algún problema. A nuestra familia le dijeron que el cirujano no podía cerrar la incisión correctamente porque tenía neumonía y que cerrar la incisión con su inflamación le impediría respirar correctamente. Le colocaron una fina cubierta de plástico entre la piel y los intestinos donde debería estar el músculo. Después de la cirugía, lo intubaron y estuvo en coma inducido médicamente durante 2 semanas. Afortunadamente, sobrevivió y fue dado de alta a su casa después de 28 días, aunque su incisión nunca se cerró correctamente. Buscó una segunda opinión y se determinó que la causa inicial de sus síntomas fue una hernia. La cubierta ahora se ha adherido a sus intestinos, lo que hace que la extracción quirúrgica sea más complicada.

Él era el único proveedor de su hogar y ahora está discapacitado. Nuestra familia ha podido cubrir los costos hasta ahora, pero ahora está pidiendo ayuda para cubrir el costo de su cirugía para quitar la cubierta y reparar su hernia. Cualquier cantidad ayuda. Gracias.