My name is Nancy Grummett, close friend to John and Carly Pineo. I truly appreciate you taking a moment to read their daughter Renley’s fight to survive story.

Renley’s hurricane hit starting on May 13 when she was hospitalized due to human metapneumovirus, about a week into her stay her condition was getting worse and she was considered to have acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Her worsening lung state also increased her pulmonary hypertension symptoms which made adequate oxygenation even harder to achieve. She was having clamp down episodes, which essentially blocks blood flow from one side of the heart to the other and having massive desaturations. The decision was then made to paralyze her and heavily sedate her to help pulmonary hypertension and let the ventilator do the work. Even after all of this it still wasn’t enough and after exhausting all options to keep her oxygen saturations stable the decision was made to put her on VA ECMO, (a form of life support that takes over heart and lung function) she was on ECMO for about 2 weeks and had a right MCA stroke from the complications of ECMO leaving her left arm and left leg with little movement, and possible reduction of vision in her left eye. Doctors prepared us for the worst, but Renley’s strength never ceases to amaze anyone and she pulled through. After 6 weeks of hell and getting told she might not survive the night a few times during this stay, she is recovering hemodynamically, and was transferred June 20th to a intense inpatient rehabilitation program to try to regain motor function of the left side of her body. This program is estimated to take another 30 days inpatient with years of outpatient therapy to follow.

This event has left John and Carly out of work since May 15th. The expenses of the 7 weeks inpatient have already added up due to being 3 1/2 hours away from home with an anticipation of being inpatient for an estimated 3 more weeks. Renley is anticipated to need years to a lifetime of outpatient physical therapy, unknown amount of trips to the cities, or father distances, for advanced healthcare appointments in neurology, pulmonology, rehab, and the possibility for the need of mobility enhancement devices. Carly will be very limited to being able to work due to Renley’s current needs, John plans to return to work once Renley is home, he will not leave her side in the hospital.

If you can find it in your heart to make a donation to help offset the numerous, compiling medical costs, travel, lodging and home expenses during Renley’s medical journey, it would be beyond appreciated.