Greg’s recovery requirements..

In October 2016 Greg had been through the tough interviews, medicals and selection process for the Royal Marines and was successful in being offered the next intake. A dream and promise to his father come true.A month later In November of the same year he was taken ill with what we assumed at the time was a chest infection. Three lots of antibiotics and and inhaler and 3 weeks later he collapsed and was rushed to hospital where I got the call to come immediately as he was in heart failure. That quick - that simple - that shocking that life changing... Since then it’s been a whirlwind of emotional outbreaks and disbelief. With all of the immediate family being screened and checked out for the possible cause a blank was drawn .. it wasn’t hereditary.. it wasn’t related to Rogers death. This wasn’t the news we wanted to hear, and gave us no answers. Greg was then discovered to have coeliacs disease - wheat and gluten intolerant... just another nightmare complication. He has scaring on the left ventricle and an enlarged heart causing leaking from the valves often into his lungs. He was readmitted and given a pacemaker and a defibrillator which then 3 weeks later failed due to a fault and he had to have a second operation to have it replaced ... his weight dropped to 69kg! He’s 6ft tall he looked dreadful. In March this year his condition deteriorated and he was placed onto the transplant list. Under the watchful eye of his cardiac team in Newcastle and on 17 tablets a day he was allowed to go home .. Beginning of May - he’s collapsed after attending a job interview and was rushed back into ICU in Leeds where he was then rushed by blues and twos to Specialist Intensive Care in Newcastle. He’s been unable to work due to the complications of his condition and the suspension of his driving licence.. he applied for benefit and didn’t qualify! He’d used his inheritance to buy his house and therefore they weren’t going to help him and his savings have rapidly depleted .. It’s now I’m here on his behalf to ask for your help. On Tuesday 4th June he goes into surgery to have an LVAD fitted. A mechanical heart. This is because the demand out-ways the supply with regards donor hearts..Greg’s heart isn’t strong enough to wait on the transplant list so this is his only option. Once fitted with the LVAD his quality of life should improve and he will eventually be allowed to go back home again. Being 100 miles from home and all family is hard..The LVAD is battery powered 24/7 365 days ... he can’t bath or swim or shower without extreme caution. I’d like to make the equipment easier for him to wear and carry, the vests and ‘discreet’ carry bags are expensive and this is where I ask for help. Many people have offered to send him treats, books, magazines etc which is a lovely thought. He’s currently surviving well thank goodness with his iPad and Netflix and amazon music! So therefore if anyone would like to help and donate even a little towards his ‘vests’ etc which cost approximately £55 each! Then here’s the place to do it... anything donated will be a massive help towards helping Greg manage the best way possible .. Thank you to everyone for reading and sharing x
And finally PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE talk about organ donation - it really is a life saver x