Support Josie and family while she is hospitalized

Josie's caring bridge: https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/josiefort

On Nov. 10, 2022, Josie was admitted to the hospital after not feeling well for a couple of weeks. To figure out what was going on, she had a heart cath procedure on November 11. When they started the sedation, her heart stopped, and they had to perform CPR. They got Josie stabilized and intubated, and it became clear that Josie was likely experiencing rejection or Transplant Coronary Artery Disease. Josie is now in the process of being listed for another heart transplant (her previous transplant was about 11.5 years ago).

Many things happened in the next few days, including Josie being transferred by ambulance to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, where she is now hospitalized. She will likely remain hospitalized until she receives a new heart (this timeline is hard to predict) and then for about three months post-heart transplant for recovery. The Mayo clinic is about 2 hours away from her home, which makes it challenging for her parents, Brittanie and Jeff, to coordinate her care. They are splitting time between home and Rochester, depending on who has in-person work responsibilities, while also caring for their other daughter Amelia. Added to this challenge is that neither Brittanie nor Jeff currently qualifies for FMLA leave from their work.

I set this fundraiser up to help with expenses related to Josie's care and to help enable them to take time off from work as needed during this challenging time for their family. We still aren't sure what the future holds, but it is clear that there is a long road ahead, and they will need support.