I NEED YOU for Tony Swanson
Donation protected
Hello, I am Danielle Swanson. I am a mother to two beautiful children and I am a wife. My husband Tony Swanson is 1/3 of my entire world and my reason for waking each and every morning. Tony is an amazing husband, son, & daddy! There is nothing more that Tony loves than his children.
Our daughter Delainey is 2.5 years old. She is a beautiful, spunky, fun loving daddy's girl. She is a carbon copy of her daddy!! Our son Axavier is just 3 months old. He is a handsome, happy go lucky little fella that adores his daddy and hearing his daddy's voice!!
On Thursday November 17, 2016 I arrived home from work; Tony seemed more tire than usual but I didn't think much of it as we have just moved. I noticed that our son was crying and unlike normal Tony wasn't comforting him. I quickly went to check on the situation and I asked Tony why he wasn't comforting the baby he said "I can't breathe, I think I'm having a heart attack."
I grabbed anything I could for the kids and rushed us all to the ER at Methodist hospital. The kids had fallen asleep in the car; for the first time in our 9 year relationship I had to send Tony in to the doctor alone. I felt horrible, simply because Tony really struggles with any doctor appointment. I waited and then I waited some more...still no answer via text message, no phone calls, and no one answering my calls in the ER. Finally at 1100pm Tony called; he was being admitted for severe pneumonia. Being the kids needed to get to bed I reluctantly went home. That was the last night I saw my husband and the father of my children in an upright position and breathing on his own.
Friday rolled around and I still hadn't heard anything; I was worried, overwhelmed and stressed. Hitting panic mode on who was going to watch our kids while I headed to work; simply because at that time I was under the impression that Tony was only suffering pneumonia. At 430pm on Friday I received a phone call from the doctor; Tony's heart was failing and he was critically ill. I left work and was mentally rushing to get to him, yet I was stuck in the first snowfall of MN for the twin cities metro area. All I wanted was to drop our son off with my dad and get to Tony. He needed me! I needed him! Our daughter was already with my dad and keeping busy by making pancakes (her favorite.) 630pm, I had just pulled in to the store to grab the baby essentials; the phone rang, it was the cardiologist. She said "Mrs. Swanson I am arrived I have some hard news to deliver to you. Your husband is severely ill and needs better medical attention than what we can offer. We NEED to transport your husband to the U of M for better care as soon as possible. Is this ok?" With tears running down my face I pleaded for the doctor to "transport Tony wherever he needed to be to get better. I need him! Our kids need him! Please God just get him the care he needs, I'm on my way! I need him to see me, I need to see him!"
I drove as fast as I could without getting in an accident and without getting pulled over. It was the longest 40 minutes of my life! I cried and cried some more. I cried for Tony, I cried for help from God, I cried for my babies! My world was crashing down around me.
I arrived at Methodist hospital and literally ran to the ICU, room 14. It was dark, cold, and sad when I arrived on the floor. I sat there watching my husband fight for his life with each breathe. I didn't cry, I was trying so hard to be strong for Tony because I knew that he needed me and I needed him! The wait for transport to the U of M was nearly three hours; the longest hours of my life. It felt like an eternity had passed. All while Tony was lying there with a weakening heart at each breath. I silently begged God to help my husband get the care he needed. At approximately 1145pm my prayer was answered; transport had arrived and there was a bed at the U of M for Tony. I drove to the hospital to meet Tony, I wanted to be a familiar face through all the scariness happening around him; but they said NO!
That was the moment that our lives changed forever. The doctor wouldn't let me see Tony; I was angry, I was offended, I was heartbroken, I was scared and most of all I was lost. Lost without my husband by my side. I needed to see him! The doctor took me aside and that was when I knew it was not good. The doctor said "Mrs. Swanson I am sorry to tell you this but your husband's heart is failing, and fast. We need to get him on a machine that will help to hopefully heal his heart. We need to act fast." I cried; the hardest I have ever cried in my adult life. My best friend, the dark to my light, my other half, my soul mate, and most importantly the father of my children was dying. All I wanted was to see him, to kiss his hand, to reassure him that as I vowed 7 years ago that through sickness and health I NEEDED him and I wasn't going anywhere!
The doctor let me see him, FINALLY! That was the longest 20 minutes ever! At 155am on November 19, 2016 was the when I saw my husband being wheeled away for a procedure that he would come out of unable to move, unable to speak, unable to smile, unable to let his beautiful eyes shine and unable to tell me I NEED YOU!
That was when it sunk in that my husband was on life support for heart failure. With my amazing in-laws by my side I sat and waited; anxiously waiting for the doctor to come update us all and let us see him. It was 502am and we were approved to see him. I needed to see him, I wanted to see him, I HAD to see him. There he was; his body taken over by machines but resting and healing which is just what he needed.
I saw him and my heart broke even more. I knew he was in good hands, I just couldn't get myself to leave. Then I remembered that we have two amazing babies that need their momma just as much as they needed their daddy. Our kids are our lives, everything we do, we do it for our kids.
Tony has a special and VERY important job in our marriage; he is our child care when I go to work. It was determined before having kids that it would be best since he is on permanent disability. Our daughter is confused and doesn't understand fully why daddy isn't here; she knows that he is sick.
All of that being said I am creating this gofundme to help raise money for the bills that will begin to arise and most importantly so that our kids can attend a great daycare while I am working. Being that Tony typically is our childcare the concern having funds for daycare and still be able to pay our bills is rising.
Before I end; 7 years ago on October 17, 2009; Tony and I danced our first dance, it was 'I need you' by Tim McGraw. Thank you for your time in reading our story, we appreciate and believe in the power of prayer!
Our daughter Delainey is 2.5 years old. She is a beautiful, spunky, fun loving daddy's girl. She is a carbon copy of her daddy!! Our son Axavier is just 3 months old. He is a handsome, happy go lucky little fella that adores his daddy and hearing his daddy's voice!!
On Thursday November 17, 2016 I arrived home from work; Tony seemed more tire than usual but I didn't think much of it as we have just moved. I noticed that our son was crying and unlike normal Tony wasn't comforting him. I quickly went to check on the situation and I asked Tony why he wasn't comforting the baby he said "I can't breathe, I think I'm having a heart attack."
I grabbed anything I could for the kids and rushed us all to the ER at Methodist hospital. The kids had fallen asleep in the car; for the first time in our 9 year relationship I had to send Tony in to the doctor alone. I felt horrible, simply because Tony really struggles with any doctor appointment. I waited and then I waited some more...still no answer via text message, no phone calls, and no one answering my calls in the ER. Finally at 1100pm Tony called; he was being admitted for severe pneumonia. Being the kids needed to get to bed I reluctantly went home. That was the last night I saw my husband and the father of my children in an upright position and breathing on his own.
Friday rolled around and I still hadn't heard anything; I was worried, overwhelmed and stressed. Hitting panic mode on who was going to watch our kids while I headed to work; simply because at that time I was under the impression that Tony was only suffering pneumonia. At 430pm on Friday I received a phone call from the doctor; Tony's heart was failing and he was critically ill. I left work and was mentally rushing to get to him, yet I was stuck in the first snowfall of MN for the twin cities metro area. All I wanted was to drop our son off with my dad and get to Tony. He needed me! I needed him! Our daughter was already with my dad and keeping busy by making pancakes (her favorite.) 630pm, I had just pulled in to the store to grab the baby essentials; the phone rang, it was the cardiologist. She said "Mrs. Swanson I am arrived I have some hard news to deliver to you. Your husband is severely ill and needs better medical attention than what we can offer. We NEED to transport your husband to the U of M for better care as soon as possible. Is this ok?" With tears running down my face I pleaded for the doctor to "transport Tony wherever he needed to be to get better. I need him! Our kids need him! Please God just get him the care he needs, I'm on my way! I need him to see me, I need to see him!"
I drove as fast as I could without getting in an accident and without getting pulled over. It was the longest 40 minutes of my life! I cried and cried some more. I cried for Tony, I cried for help from God, I cried for my babies! My world was crashing down around me.
I arrived at Methodist hospital and literally ran to the ICU, room 14. It was dark, cold, and sad when I arrived on the floor. I sat there watching my husband fight for his life with each breathe. I didn't cry, I was trying so hard to be strong for Tony because I knew that he needed me and I needed him! The wait for transport to the U of M was nearly three hours; the longest hours of my life. It felt like an eternity had passed. All while Tony was lying there with a weakening heart at each breath. I silently begged God to help my husband get the care he needed. At approximately 1145pm my prayer was answered; transport had arrived and there was a bed at the U of M for Tony. I drove to the hospital to meet Tony, I wanted to be a familiar face through all the scariness happening around him; but they said NO!
That was the moment that our lives changed forever. The doctor wouldn't let me see Tony; I was angry, I was offended, I was heartbroken, I was scared and most of all I was lost. Lost without my husband by my side. I needed to see him! The doctor took me aside and that was when I knew it was not good. The doctor said "Mrs. Swanson I am sorry to tell you this but your husband's heart is failing, and fast. We need to get him on a machine that will help to hopefully heal his heart. We need to act fast." I cried; the hardest I have ever cried in my adult life. My best friend, the dark to my light, my other half, my soul mate, and most importantly the father of my children was dying. All I wanted was to see him, to kiss his hand, to reassure him that as I vowed 7 years ago that through sickness and health I NEEDED him and I wasn't going anywhere!
The doctor let me see him, FINALLY! That was the longest 20 minutes ever! At 155am on November 19, 2016 was the when I saw my husband being wheeled away for a procedure that he would come out of unable to move, unable to speak, unable to smile, unable to let his beautiful eyes shine and unable to tell me I NEED YOU!
That was when it sunk in that my husband was on life support for heart failure. With my amazing in-laws by my side I sat and waited; anxiously waiting for the doctor to come update us all and let us see him. It was 502am and we were approved to see him. I needed to see him, I wanted to see him, I HAD to see him. There he was; his body taken over by machines but resting and healing which is just what he needed.
I saw him and my heart broke even more. I knew he was in good hands, I just couldn't get myself to leave. Then I remembered that we have two amazing babies that need their momma just as much as they needed their daddy. Our kids are our lives, everything we do, we do it for our kids.
Tony has a special and VERY important job in our marriage; he is our child care when I go to work. It was determined before having kids that it would be best since he is on permanent disability. Our daughter is confused and doesn't understand fully why daddy isn't here; she knows that he is sick.
All of that being said I am creating this gofundme to help raise money for the bills that will begin to arise and most importantly so that our kids can attend a great daycare while I am working. Being that Tony typically is our childcare the concern having funds for daycare and still be able to pay our bills is rising.
Before I end; 7 years ago on October 17, 2009; Tony and I danced our first dance, it was 'I need you' by Tim McGraw. Thank you for your time in reading our story, we appreciate and believe in the power of prayer!
Organizer
Danielle Swanson
Organizer
Ramsey, MN