Help Lucas Recover & Ongoing Care
Donation protected
On May 26, 2022 Lucas Andrews was hospitalized with extreme chest pain. The doctors discovered he had a blood clot pass through his heart and that there was 100% blockage in his coronary artery. This resulted in a heart attack and cardiac arrest while he was in the ICU. He underwent emergency surgery, and they were able to free the artery blockage, stent the artery, and save and sustain his life. There was damage to his heart due to heart attack and an additional blood clotting in his heart as a result, so he was put on life-sustaining drugs and entered the first steps of recovery. Just days after this, he coughed up a blood clot, which revealed that his body was rejecting/reacting negatively to one of the anticoagulant medicines. He was immediately back in another emergency room. Changes to his medication regimen were made, and monitoring and testing became a daily protocol. After this incident, there were even more problems: Additional prescription changes, extreme physical reactions, multiple emergency room visits, and hospital intakes all took place before he was finally stabilized and seemingly back on the path to recovery.
On July 12th 2022, Lucas went into the hospital for an echocardiogram appointment, and as the contrast dye injection passed through his heart, his body attacked it, resulting in anaphylactic shock and sudden cardiac arrest. Code Blue. After 15 minutes of CPR, an epinephrine shot, steroids, and other extreme measures, he was brought back to life. He spent the next week back in the ICU. Fortunately there was no additional injury to his heart from the anaphylactic shock and cardiac arrest. This was our biggest fear, that bad had just become worse. Fortunately, he was back to talking and making jokes and was seemingly alert again in the hospital surprising the staff and doctors.
Since being released from the ICU back into home care, Lucas suffered from more incidents: falls, pain, balance problems, and discomfort in a whole-body sense. He complained to his doctors and kept asking for more information via testing and relief. Everyone assured him he was ok and his symptoms were only side effects from all of the heavy medication he was on. We did not agree, so we spent all the time we had finding specialists and private practice medical assessment. We ended up seeking out a well-known naturopathic doctor in the area, and she ran a barrage of tests to try to get to the bottom of his symptoms and health decline. It turns out his medication was poisoning him, depleting his health and system's ability to normally function. Many tests and appointments later, he was taken off of two major medications and has been left with massive medical debt, PTSD, and ongoing symptoms. He has started EMDR therapy in addition to his heart and pulmonary rehabilitation programs, Lucas has undergone major lifestyle and diet changes. He is limited in his ability to move, function, and work. Lucas has depleted all of his resources and has overcome immense amounts of physical and emotional suffering.
We are asking for friends, family, and anyone who is able to make donations in order to help Lucas afford his appointments, treatments, time off work, dietary costs. They will be arduous and ongoing for at least the next year and then some. This is why we're turning to our community to ask for the help. We fundamentally believe in the power of people showing up for their friends, family, community members, and loved ones, and both our jobs operate under this same belief that we must put people before profit. Please do not feel discouraged if you cannot contribute monetarily or if you can only lend a few bucks: all contributions will make this difficult time period easier for us, and sharing this campaign is often more powerful than you'd think. You never know who will see this page and who could help to make a big difference. We love you all so much, and we're grateful for whatever support you can provide. Please help a man that has given us all so much and fought so hard to still be here.
Thank You, Marybeth
On July 12th 2022, Lucas went into the hospital for an echocardiogram appointment, and as the contrast dye injection passed through his heart, his body attacked it, resulting in anaphylactic shock and sudden cardiac arrest. Code Blue. After 15 minutes of CPR, an epinephrine shot, steroids, and other extreme measures, he was brought back to life. He spent the next week back in the ICU. Fortunately there was no additional injury to his heart from the anaphylactic shock and cardiac arrest. This was our biggest fear, that bad had just become worse. Fortunately, he was back to talking and making jokes and was seemingly alert again in the hospital surprising the staff and doctors.
Since being released from the ICU back into home care, Lucas suffered from more incidents: falls, pain, balance problems, and discomfort in a whole-body sense. He complained to his doctors and kept asking for more information via testing and relief. Everyone assured him he was ok and his symptoms were only side effects from all of the heavy medication he was on. We did not agree, so we spent all the time we had finding specialists and private practice medical assessment. We ended up seeking out a well-known naturopathic doctor in the area, and she ran a barrage of tests to try to get to the bottom of his symptoms and health decline. It turns out his medication was poisoning him, depleting his health and system's ability to normally function. Many tests and appointments later, he was taken off of two major medications and has been left with massive medical debt, PTSD, and ongoing symptoms. He has started EMDR therapy in addition to his heart and pulmonary rehabilitation programs, Lucas has undergone major lifestyle and diet changes. He is limited in his ability to move, function, and work. Lucas has depleted all of his resources and has overcome immense amounts of physical and emotional suffering.
We are asking for friends, family, and anyone who is able to make donations in order to help Lucas afford his appointments, treatments, time off work, dietary costs. They will be arduous and ongoing for at least the next year and then some. This is why we're turning to our community to ask for the help. We fundamentally believe in the power of people showing up for their friends, family, community members, and loved ones, and both our jobs operate under this same belief that we must put people before profit. Please do not feel discouraged if you cannot contribute monetarily or if you can only lend a few bucks: all contributions will make this difficult time period easier for us, and sharing this campaign is often more powerful than you'd think. You never know who will see this page and who could help to make a big difference. We love you all so much, and we're grateful for whatever support you can provide. Please help a man that has given us all so much and fought so hard to still be here.
Thank You, Marybeth
Organizer and beneficiary
MB Eezie
Organizer
Port Townsend, WA
Lucas Andrews
Beneficiary