Heart Transplant Survivor Needs Help

I am a survivor. I recently got a new heart. The surgery was a miraculous success. I feel better than I have in 24 years.

But I am also struggling and I need your help. Here's why.

On Christmas Day of last year I felt the most excruciating pain of my life. After being rushed to the hospital, I discovered that after battling Congestive Heart Failure for more than 20 years, my heart had finally given out. At just 45 years old I wondered if my life would end soon.

On January 3, 2023 my doctors put me on the transplant list as I laid in the Cardiac ICU at Fairfax Hospital in Virginia. A machine circulated the blood in my body and was the only thing keeping me alive. My husband, my five children and my entire family prayed that a miracle would happen. Their faith gave me hope.

Then, on January 9, 2023 I had a dream. I was told that I would get a new heart. Less than 24 hours later, all of our prayers were answered as that premonition came true. On January 10th, after just a week on the transplant list I underwent a six-hour surgery that ended with me having a new heart and a second chance at life.

This second chance has been a blessing. I can walk without having to take a break after two minutes. I have the energy to do small chores around the house. I have the strength now to move my body and start to live my life again..

But I have a long, long, long, way to go. That's where you come in.

I need your help. For the past five months, I have tried to carry the burden of medical bills and the costs of recovery from my lifesaving transplant, but it is too much to bear. I have been out of work since Christmas Day and my husband had to take an unpaid leave of absence from his job to act as my round-the-clock caregiver. We have burned through our savings paying for prescriptions, co-pays, food, rent, utilities, and transportation, as well as all the other necessities that come after transplant surgery. For example, I caught the flu and was out of commission for four weeks and needed care, including medical intervention, as I recovered. The flu was more than the flu for me as my body is still weak due to the anti-rejection, immunosuppressive drugs that I am on. I also lost nearly 50 pounds post-surgery and had to buy some clothes just to be able to attend my doctor's appointments.

While the transplant has been a true blessing, the need for constant caregiving has been a real strain on my family, both emotionally and financially. It's been a serious struggle just to keep the lights on and now, I'll need cardiac therapy if I want to regain some normalcy in my life.

We need to raise at least $30,000 to help get through the remainder of my long recovery period. The money will help pay for my medicines, medical co-pays, rent, utilities, food, repairs for my car and other transportation costs and any other household, medical and personal care necessities that arise along my road to recovery.

Once I get stronger, I am confident that I will be able to go back to work and hopefully, get back to living a normal, healthy life.

Thank you in advance for your help-- any donation will assist us.

Thank you to everyone who prayed for me, came to visit me, and sent messages of encouragement and love as my family and I navigate through one of the toughest times of our lives.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

The journey isn't over-- but thanks to the grace of God, I believe in miracles and in second chances at life.

With gratitude,

Marisa Briggs