Help Charo with a Liver Trasnsplant

Dear Family, Friends, Extended Family and Friends of Friends,

2020 and 2021 have been proven to be very challenging and life changing around the globe. Some have endured much more than others, myself and my family included. For the second time in my life within the last year and half, I'm using this platform to ask for help. Last year for the sudden loss of my 21-year-old daughter, and today for my Aunt Rosario Rivera, B.K.A. Charo.

It all started last December 2020 when Charo suddenly fell ill vomiting blood and was hospitalized and tested positive for Covid-19 but was not really diagnosed with why the vomiting of the blood. Somehow it was attributed supposedly due to covid. However, at the time she had no covid symptoms at all. After a few days in the hospital and receiving medical treatment, she was discharged. What followed were several doctor visits, ER visits, and hospitalizations with an undiagnosed illness until about June 2021. At that time, Charo was suffering from a lot of pain and was taken to the ER. She was diagnosed with gallbladder stones and also decided to change her GI doctor she had because she was very unsatisfied with him and the treating GI doctor from the hospital during her hospital stay was great and it was at that time when a true diagnosis was coming to light. This treating physician referred her to the current team of physicians and was scheduled to be seen on Sept 1st by the team and unfortunately that appt had to be canceled due to the Tropical Storm Ida that just wreaked havoc in our state and surrounding areas, including their car getting water inside due to the heavy flooding. Thankfully they didn't lose their car. The appt was rescheduled for 2 weeks later and unfortunately during that time she was hospitalized yet again and had to reschedule. On October 14th she finally had her appt with the team and it was at that moment that the head doctor said to us these exact words; She has End Stage Liver Cirrhosis and needs a transplant. This was a lot to take in at that moment. Things started to move pretty quickly with appointments and procedures that needed to be done in order to have her listed for a new liver. During this process, the obstacles have proven to be very challenging and just last month she was hospitalized in critical care with sepsis. Very scary at that time. Thankfully through the medical science and the power of prayer and family/friends support, she pulled through after being hospitalized for 2 weeks. Just in time to be home for Thanksgiving.

The process to have her listed for a new liver continues and so far she is on track.

With all this going on many expenses have and continue to arise. Charo has Medicare and not everything is covered. Her deductible is about $6000. One of the steps to have her listed is that they need to have in a bank account the Medicare deductible to ensure they can afford to pay for any medications required to treat the new liver and her body.

As we try to gather this amount, just today they are hit with yet another unexpected expense with their car breaking down and in need of about 1k in repairs.

Rosario was a very healthy person who worked in the school system as Paraprofessional working with children for about 30 years. She has been a member of her church St. Nicholas Roman Catholic Church for over 45 years and has been involved in numerous events through the church and other communities. For several years she also had a cultural dance group that started out with family members and then grew with friends as well as others from the church where they presented the Puerto Rican culture in many different dances, singing and acting skits. She was also involved for many years with the church youth group. Prior to getting sick, she had been taking care of her husband, my uncle Carlos Sr. who himself has some health issues and has had many medical scares. Their son, my cousin Carlos Jr. also has health issues and is currently on the waiting list for a new heart.

Today we ask of you all to find it in your heart and help us get her listed for a new liver and help cover some of these continued sudden expenses.

NO AMOUNT IS TOO SMALL.

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Thank you for taking the time to read this and thank you in advance for any help anyone can provide