Give Tamara a Second Chance at Life

Hi, my name is Tamara. This is a life or death situation I am facing by no fault of my own.

I am a 59-year-old medically retired RN. I worked full-time in a local hospital during our COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the personal protection equipment we wore, many of my fellow medical personnel, including myself, caught the virus. Unlike most of them, I did not come out “unscathed.” I have advanced heart failure that my cardiologist feels was caused by a virus, more specifically, COVID-19.

I am on all the medications, and many of those at max dosages, that I can be on to help my heart keep beating efficiently. Two years ago in July, I had to have a device called a CRT-D (Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy with a Defibrillator) implanted in my heart because my LVEF (Left Ventricle Ejection Fraction) - a measurement of how much oxygen-rich blood is pumped out of the heart (left ventricle) with each contraction. Mine at that time was 12%. The normal level is about 50-70%. Over the past year, that level fluctuated. It briefly got up to 45%. However, my most recent test shows it is now down to 32%. So, as you can see, my heart, despite all the medical care I’m receiving, is starting to decline.

While I see my cardiologist on a regular basis, I’m fully aware that I’m being optimally medically treated. My next step is a heart transplant. As if the decision to accept the heart of someone who has passed, but was generous enough to donate their organs so someone else may live, is not an easy one, or one that I take lightly, I have run into a big problem.

I live in the state of Nevada, USA. As big as our state is, we do not have a heart transplant facility anywhere in it. This means that I have to travel out of state, at my own expense, to have a transplant. In order to do so, I have to pay for a place to stay, and depending on which transplant center I go to, I have to either stay within an hour's drive of that facility for the first three to four months post-op, or stay within a four-hour drive, but that facility requires I stay for 12 months post-op. And for the first 3-4 months, I have to have someone be my “care provider” that will stay with me 24/7 as I will have many follow-up appointments during those months and will be unable to drive. They will be there should I start to have problems such as shortness of breath, running a fever, surgical site infection, reaction to any of the anti-rejection drugs, etc., so they can get me to the hospital ASAP.

I am currently on Social Security Disability, and as of July 1st, they put me on Medicare. I do have out-of-pocket minimums I will need to meet before they start coverage. I would be using any and all generous donations towards costs incurred during this process, but I cannot move forward unless I am able to raise money to offset the costs that are not covered by Medicare. I am told that my out-of-pocket expenses, because of having to go out of state, will easily exceed the amount I am trying to raise. In addition, the cost of anti-rejection medications over the first year post-transplant is extremely expensive and not all will be covered, even in part, by Medicare (is my understanding), but they say that expense will drop off dramatically after the first year.

It is hard for me to ask for help, but I can’t go without a fight. I have a wonderful boyfriend, two grown sons, a daughter-in-law, a “stepdaughter” who graced us with a precious granddaughter 4 years ago, and five “fur children” that I love very much. I have a loving and supportive dad, stepmom, and three brothers. I am truly blessed and would be so grateful to be given the opportunity to extend my life for as long as I can. I don’t drink alcohol, smoke, or do drugs. I do not smoke marijuana. My only other big health issue is diabetes, which is controlled.

How can you help? If just 1000 people donate $20, I would reach my goal. If you are unable to financially help, prayers are always appreciated, and I’m grateful for every one of them. If you could share my situation on any and all of your social media accounts, with friends or family, co-workers, maybe your church affiliations, I would be eternally grateful to all of you.

Thank you for reading and helping in any way that you can.