Help Brooke in Recovery from Acute Heart Failure
Donation protected
Hi everyone, I’ve started this GFM as on the evening of Saturday the 11/02/2023 our beautiful sissy girl Brooke Oliver had a heart episode which was turning into Cardiac Arrest, resulting in her being rushed to the Royal Adelaide Hospital by paramedics. Brooke went into Resuscitation before being moved to ICU where she has been diagnosed with Acute Heart Failure (Brooke’s heart function is currently around 10% - the lowest some nurses in her ward have ever seen).
Her heart has expanded and a valve has leaked blood into her lungs, stopping her from breathing and the acute failure of her heart is putting immense pressure on her other organs. We and the Cardiologists still have many questions to answer as to what has caused Brooke’s heart to decline into failure so randomly and so quickly. She will need to remain in hospital for at least another week just to undergo a plethora of testing - we still don’t know what or even how recovery may look for Brooke at this point. She may still require surgery, and it is unlikely that Brooke’s heart functioning will get better, only that she will have to spend her life managing it.
Brooke is only 25 years old but has lived through things most people wouldn’t have to face in 10 lifetimes. She is a proud Kaurna Woman who survived a lifetime of State Care - made a Ward of the ‘south australian’ state at 20 weeks old, Brookey’s life has been filled with adversity since infancy, yet Brooke’s spirit has triumphed at every turn. She has worked tirelessly as a Lived Experience Advocacy Officer, A Community Educator and Cultural Consultant with organisations and institutions like The Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Relationships Australia, DCP & Create Foundation. Brooke works tirelessly - sometimes so much that it beggars belief. Just this morning she was in a Zoom meeting for work while in ICU. She holds so much compassion and care for the kids she advocates for and for the people she trains.
She is a fiercely independent woman, she lives alone and has really never relied on anyone but herself. We, Brooke’s chosen siblings and closest friends want to see Brooke be able to lean into community care, the same way that she puts so much effort and energy into her communities. We are hoping to raise money to cover:
- Brooke’s medical expenses like Ambulance Fee, on-going medications and other medications she takes regularly.
- Her rent for the next 8 weeks
- Utilities (Electricity, Gas, Water for the next 12 weeks
- Any support care she may require upon discharge from the hospital
- Food and groceries for the next 4 weeks
- Money for ubers/public transport to and from the hospital, home and future appointments
- Hopefully to install a Reverse Cycle air conditioner/Heater as Brooke’s unit has nothing and in 44C• heat in Adelaide - this is nearly unliveable.
- Money for cat food & litter for 8 weeks
Brooke doesn’t have the support of her parents and works on a contractual basis - meaning unless Brooke works, she doesn’t get paid and that she has no financial backing. We all know that just because we can’t receive income it doesn’t mean our bills or rent stop. Our beautiful and strong girl can be stubborn in accepting help so please know that in accepting this help Brooke’s appreciation cannot be understated. This is the start of a very different future for our girl and there’s no one more deserving of support and love to transition into healing and into navigating a new phase of life with on-going health issues.
Ngaityalya - Thank you.
Erin & Lucy Reynolds x
Her heart has expanded and a valve has leaked blood into her lungs, stopping her from breathing and the acute failure of her heart is putting immense pressure on her other organs. We and the Cardiologists still have many questions to answer as to what has caused Brooke’s heart to decline into failure so randomly and so quickly. She will need to remain in hospital for at least another week just to undergo a plethora of testing - we still don’t know what or even how recovery may look for Brooke at this point. She may still require surgery, and it is unlikely that Brooke’s heart functioning will get better, only that she will have to spend her life managing it.
Brooke is only 25 years old but has lived through things most people wouldn’t have to face in 10 lifetimes. She is a proud Kaurna Woman who survived a lifetime of State Care - made a Ward of the ‘south australian’ state at 20 weeks old, Brookey’s life has been filled with adversity since infancy, yet Brooke’s spirit has triumphed at every turn. She has worked tirelessly as a Lived Experience Advocacy Officer, A Community Educator and Cultural Consultant with organisations and institutions like The Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Relationships Australia, DCP & Create Foundation. Brooke works tirelessly - sometimes so much that it beggars belief. Just this morning she was in a Zoom meeting for work while in ICU. She holds so much compassion and care for the kids she advocates for and for the people she trains.
She is a fiercely independent woman, she lives alone and has really never relied on anyone but herself. We, Brooke’s chosen siblings and closest friends want to see Brooke be able to lean into community care, the same way that she puts so much effort and energy into her communities. We are hoping to raise money to cover:
- Brooke’s medical expenses like Ambulance Fee, on-going medications and other medications she takes regularly.
- Her rent for the next 8 weeks
- Utilities (Electricity, Gas, Water for the next 12 weeks
- Any support care she may require upon discharge from the hospital
- Food and groceries for the next 4 weeks
- Money for ubers/public transport to and from the hospital, home and future appointments
- Hopefully to install a Reverse Cycle air conditioner/Heater as Brooke’s unit has nothing and in 44C• heat in Adelaide - this is nearly unliveable.
- Money for cat food & litter for 8 weeks
Brooke doesn’t have the support of her parents and works on a contractual basis - meaning unless Brooke works, she doesn’t get paid and that she has no financial backing. We all know that just because we can’t receive income it doesn’t mean our bills or rent stop. Our beautiful and strong girl can be stubborn in accepting help so please know that in accepting this help Brooke’s appreciation cannot be understated. This is the start of a very different future for our girl and there’s no one more deserving of support and love to transition into healing and into navigating a new phase of life with on-going health issues.
Ngaityalya - Thank you.
Erin & Lucy Reynolds x
Organizer and beneficiary
Lucy Reynolds
Organizer
Adelaide, SA
Brooke Oliver
Beneficiary