Cindy’s Road to Recovery

On Wednesday, August 10, 2022, what started as a common migraine turned into a night that will forever change our lives. Cindy experienced a spontaneous brain hemorrhage which resulted in brain stem injury and left her in a coma. She was able to undergo an emergent craniotomy to help reduce swelling and remove blood from the brain, but she was given a poor prognosis of survival. Cindy is currently undergoing acute care in Plano, Texas, defying all odds one day at a time...

Those who know Cindy know that she is a survivor and a fighter. She is fighting for her life so that she can be reunited with her precious 9-month-old son, Hudson, and her loving husband, Maurice.

On behalf of Cindy's family, her sister, Lan, is organizing this GoFundMe to provide an avenue for those who want to help. Your generous contribution will go towards medical bills, the continuous care and recovery of Cindy, and ensuring stability for her baby, Hudson. Cindy will need 24/7 care and rehabilitation to give her the best chance of recovery and quality of life. Our hope is that Cindy will one day be able to hold and play with Hudson again.

We want to thank our family, friends, and Cindy’s work family (“pharmily”) for your continued prayers and overwhelming love and support. We are hopeful and standing firm in Cindy’s miraculous healing.

Cindy’s Story

At the age of 8, Cindy was diagnosed with a “deficient mitral valve” caused by rheumatic heart disease that nearly took her life. The cardiologist and surgeons initially refused to perform open heart surgery on her because she was not a good candidate due to her young age and 1% chance of survival. Cindy’s father pleaded and urged the doctors to save her life because 1% chance is still a chance. The doctors proceeded with the open-heart surgery and as Cindy’s father anxiously waited in the waiting room after 5 hours, a nurse ran down the hall with tears in her eyes. She told him that Cindy had a “super heart” and it’s beating now! The next morning, Cindy was eating popcorn and fried chicken, followed by a bowl of pho for dinner (which is not surprising if you know Cindy, her appetite is uncanny). The doctors indicated that she would need open heart surgery every 3 years until the age of 18 to upgrade the size of her valve to accommodate her growing heart.

What was said to be a 3-year fix, lasted for 25 years. Cindy did not take that gift for granted and lived her life to the fullest, making her impact on society and everyone around her. She graduated with honors from Baylor University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. Cindy then obtained her Doctorate of Pharmacy degree at the University of Texas at Austin. Fresh out of college, she worked at MD Anderson Cancer Hospital as an Inpatient Pharmacist.

At the age of 33, she was faced with another obstacle–her mitral valve needed replacement. In hopes of carrying a child, she selected an artificial valve to increase her chances of becoming a mother one day. In 2011, Cindy had her second open heart surgery in Houston, Texas.

Cindy and Maurice married and settled in Dallas. Cindy worked as an Oncology Pharmacist at UT Southwestern where her loving work family quickly embraced her. Soon after, Cindy and Maurice embarked on a journey to grow their family. The desire to be a mom led to IVF in hopes of carrying her own child, despite the high risk of the pregnancy with her pre-existing heart condition. The day before the scheduled transfer, everything was set in motion and planned for the final stretch, when the cardiologist assessed and determined that Cindy’s state of health was not conducive to moving forward. Being told “I think it’s too risky for you to carry this baby,” was very disheartening, but Cindy’s desire to be a mom was immense, so she still advocated for the transfer. Maurice convinced her that a life without her as a wife and as a mother would be unbearable. They accepted this and tried to move forward in their lives, but their love was overflowing, and they still wanted to grow their family.

In March of 2021, Cindy’s sister, Lan, became a surrogate and carried baby Hudson to full term. In May of 2021, Cindy had heart surgery for the 3rd time, replacing her artificial valve with a mechanical valve. This required her to be on anticoagulants (blood thinners) indefinitely.

Cindy’s dream of becoming a mother finally came true when Hudson was born in December 2021 - a healthy, happy, and strong baby boy.

Despite the health challenges she has faced in her life, she lives each day to the fullest. She doesn’t share much about her heart complications because her medical history does not define her. Her heart never stopped her from doing the things she desired. Cindy was able to travel the world, build a family, and still make time to do what she loves the most…help other people. She is the most selfless person, always putting others before herself. To know Cindy is to love Cindy. If you don’t know her, she’d still treat you with the kindness, compassion, and selflessness she would for anyone else in her life. She is proof that miracles can happen and that difficult roads can lead to beautiful destinations. Please help us give her the resources to live a full and meaningful life.