On November 17th this year, my wife Carol awoke with extreme difficulty breathing, only able to take in about 1/3 of a breath. When I woke up, she asked me to take her to the ER, which was extremely rare as she hates doctors, hospitals, and anything to do with medical care or needles in particular. When I got her to the ER, they ran what seemed like a thousand tests and determined that sometime in the recent past, she had at least one heart attack, possibly more. She had had no typical signs, just over the past year or so, an increasing need to use her rescue inhaler and occasionally had swollen feet and ankles. They admitted her to ICU, and the care she received was top-notch. She was in ICU for 5 days and underwent a heart cath, but it was determined that open-heart surgery was necessary. The problem was her A1C was super high, and they needed her to get that under control before surgery so she would have the best odds possible. So after nearly a week in intensive care and a couple of days on cardiac, they sent her home with a personal defibrillator that she must wear 24/7 until the surgery.

Our employer's insurance will cover all but $5,000 over the next several months: $2,500 for the remainder of 2025 and another $2,500 for 2026. I have used all but a week and a half of the family care leave I have leading up to this point, and after I use that for her surgery, anything I miss will be unpaid. We feel fortunate that our employer has a pharmacy that covers a huge amount of her prescriptions, but already we are struggling financially to cover those expenses. We are facing all of the same challenges as many of us are these days... increases in everything from utilities to housing expenses, and it is extremely emotional and difficult for us to ask for help. We are usually the ones helping others and are embarrassed to have to even admit we are in this situation and needing help and support from others. The surgery is scheduled for Dec. 11th and we would sincerely appreciate any monetary donations to help us get through this difficult time. Prayers and positive vibes are also appreciated, and if all you can do is share, we will be grateful.