Restrictive Cardiomyopathy Battle
Donation protected
At Eighteen years old, known by Joshua or Josue. I have lived in Rowland Heights all my life, graduating with my class in 2015 from Rowland High School is something I’m proud of. My dreams of becoming a sports agent have been derailed by a recent diagnosis of restrictive cardiomyopathy and the need for a heart transplant. I’m asking for your help to make a wish of mine come true which is watching the Saints play at the Dome. Also, any extra money I have left over will be donated to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
Right now, I'm fighting to see the next chapter of my life. Today, I'm humbly asking my family, friends, classmates, and people from the community to help me with my dream trip, before it’s too late. I also ask for your prayers and support, as my family and I go through this storm. Since I am already 18, Make A Wish Foundation cannot help me.
First I'll like to say some stuff about me. I have always been an outgoing person and I love to laugh. I always put my family and friends first. If you
Have ever seen me around, then you will know I always have a smile on, no matter what I'm going through. I can tell you that I have always loved sports like wrestling, football, and soccer. Playing these sports were some of the best times of my life and I wish every day that I'll be able to play these sports again someday.
I have big dreams. I am a huge sports fan and once I graduated, I planned to go school to become a sports agent. I wanted to serve my country in the Coast Guard and one day go law school on the G.I. Bill to help me reach my ultimate goal of being a sports agent. I had my career planned out. I didn't want to tell people about my dreams because I wanted to show them instead. But my life has taken an unexpected turn which has ruined everything I had planned for myself.
Graduating this year, I was happy to move on to the next chapter of my life, thinking I was ready to start a new journey in the real world which brings a lot of joy. But for me it wasn’t that way, a month
after I graduated, I was feeling symptoms that I had never felt before. I was sent to see a cardiologist after going to the emergency room knowing something could be wrong with my heart. After many tests, I was transferred to Children’s Hospital, Los Angeles. At that point,
I didn’t know what specific heart problem I had, but just knowing I had a heart problem freaked me out. I was afraid to go to sleep because I didn’t know if I was going to wake up the next morning. There were symptoms and more tests which went on for a few months. This past September I turned 18 and I still didn’t know what was wrong with my heart. Fast forward to November 13 when I had a small heart procedure and was told to wait a week for lab tests to confirm a diagnosis.
On Wednesday morning, November 18, I woke up happy, thinking everything was going to be ok and that with a new medication everything would be fine. I never thought it was something serious. But I was wrong. My cardiologist explained to me that I have a rare congenital heart muscle disease. Restrictive cardiomyopathy is not curable and will get worse day by day. She told me that I only have a couple of years to live with this disease because my heart eventually will give out. I was in shock. It felt so unreal that I broke down, cried and hugged my mom, realizing that I may never live the life I lived once like running, wrestling, playing football with friends… it was all over for me. However, there is a chance for me to beat this and move on with my life. The cardiologist told me I could get a heart transplant. I will go on the heart transplant waiting list in January and pray it will be successful.
As some of you know we had a beloved friend, Michael Ortega, who passed away in May from a heart attack also related to cardiomyopathy. Michael has been in my dreams and I know he is doing just fine. Michael’s mother, Michelle, has been one of the biggest supporters throughout my journey, even though she is still grieving the loss of her own son. I told her that one reason why I’m choosing the transplant is because I realized that Michael didn’t have a chance to fight like I do and I want to do it for him. He inspired me to fight. I have a lot of hope in this surgery. Thank you, Michelle for all your support. I can sit here and type the names of all my friends and others who have been with me since I got the diagnosis but there are so many. You guys know who you are and I can honestly say I love you guys so much and I appreciate the support and the therapy. You guys have made this easier for me by making me laugh, going out to watch a movie, spoiling me when it’s not necessary and doing the simplest things. I am blessed with amazing friends and family. You have all touched my heart somehow and in some way. I will never give up. I’m going to fight like hell because of all you guys.
I hope that when I go to sleep on the day of the surgery that I will wake up to a new chapter in my life. But if I don’t, I will know that God had other plans for me.
Once I am on the heart transplant waiting list, I won’t be able to travel outside of California because I can get the call anytime that a compatible heart becomes available for me
Please help make my bucket list wish come true. My wish is to go to New Orleans and watch the Saints play in the Dome. The season is ending soon so I need your help to reach my number one bucket dream. It might be a long shot to make it happen but I still want to give it a try.
Anything will help,
Thanks and God bless.
Right now, I'm fighting to see the next chapter of my life. Today, I'm humbly asking my family, friends, classmates, and people from the community to help me with my dream trip, before it’s too late. I also ask for your prayers and support, as my family and I go through this storm. Since I am already 18, Make A Wish Foundation cannot help me.
First I'll like to say some stuff about me. I have always been an outgoing person and I love to laugh. I always put my family and friends first. If you
Have ever seen me around, then you will know I always have a smile on, no matter what I'm going through. I can tell you that I have always loved sports like wrestling, football, and soccer. Playing these sports were some of the best times of my life and I wish every day that I'll be able to play these sports again someday.
I have big dreams. I am a huge sports fan and once I graduated, I planned to go school to become a sports agent. I wanted to serve my country in the Coast Guard and one day go law school on the G.I. Bill to help me reach my ultimate goal of being a sports agent. I had my career planned out. I didn't want to tell people about my dreams because I wanted to show them instead. But my life has taken an unexpected turn which has ruined everything I had planned for myself.
Graduating this year, I was happy to move on to the next chapter of my life, thinking I was ready to start a new journey in the real world which brings a lot of joy. But for me it wasn’t that way, a month
after I graduated, I was feeling symptoms that I had never felt before. I was sent to see a cardiologist after going to the emergency room knowing something could be wrong with my heart. After many tests, I was transferred to Children’s Hospital, Los Angeles. At that point,
I didn’t know what specific heart problem I had, but just knowing I had a heart problem freaked me out. I was afraid to go to sleep because I didn’t know if I was going to wake up the next morning. There were symptoms and more tests which went on for a few months. This past September I turned 18 and I still didn’t know what was wrong with my heart. Fast forward to November 13 when I had a small heart procedure and was told to wait a week for lab tests to confirm a diagnosis.
On Wednesday morning, November 18, I woke up happy, thinking everything was going to be ok and that with a new medication everything would be fine. I never thought it was something serious. But I was wrong. My cardiologist explained to me that I have a rare congenital heart muscle disease. Restrictive cardiomyopathy is not curable and will get worse day by day. She told me that I only have a couple of years to live with this disease because my heart eventually will give out. I was in shock. It felt so unreal that I broke down, cried and hugged my mom, realizing that I may never live the life I lived once like running, wrestling, playing football with friends… it was all over for me. However, there is a chance for me to beat this and move on with my life. The cardiologist told me I could get a heart transplant. I will go on the heart transplant waiting list in January and pray it will be successful.
As some of you know we had a beloved friend, Michael Ortega, who passed away in May from a heart attack also related to cardiomyopathy. Michael has been in my dreams and I know he is doing just fine. Michael’s mother, Michelle, has been one of the biggest supporters throughout my journey, even though she is still grieving the loss of her own son. I told her that one reason why I’m choosing the transplant is because I realized that Michael didn’t have a chance to fight like I do and I want to do it for him. He inspired me to fight. I have a lot of hope in this surgery. Thank you, Michelle for all your support. I can sit here and type the names of all my friends and others who have been with me since I got the diagnosis but there are so many. You guys know who you are and I can honestly say I love you guys so much and I appreciate the support and the therapy. You guys have made this easier for me by making me laugh, going out to watch a movie, spoiling me when it’s not necessary and doing the simplest things. I am blessed with amazing friends and family. You have all touched my heart somehow and in some way. I will never give up. I’m going to fight like hell because of all you guys.
I hope that when I go to sleep on the day of the surgery that I will wake up to a new chapter in my life. But if I don’t, I will know that God had other plans for me.
Once I am on the heart transplant waiting list, I won’t be able to travel outside of California because I can get the call anytime that a compatible heart becomes available for me
Please help make my bucket list wish come true. My wish is to go to New Orleans and watch the Saints play in the Dome. The season is ending soon so I need your help to reach my number one bucket dream. It might be a long shot to make it happen but I still want to give it a try.
Anything will help,
Thanks and God bless.
Organizer
Joshua Martinez
Organizer
Rowland Heights, CA