Kristas Caretaker Quest for Craig

Hello friend! It's me Krista. I guess needing, or asking for help, especially in this way, is very weird for me so I will try my best. If you don't know, I was an unwanted and was adopted by my dad Craig. I became a card carrying Jones at 6 years old. As a kid,I always wanted to impress him, hang out around him, snoop around what he was doing, mess with his tools and see his projects. In my adult life we got so much closer. He's a core part of my small family and a kind and giving grandpa to my boys. If you met him then you know that he's never met a stranger and he's happy being anywhere, showing something, camping, teaching his skills or trying to be helpful. It's been said that "the more you talk to Craig, the more you talk to Craig!". He's everything to me and now that world is completely upside down.

As you know dad went in on July 18th for a bilateral lung transplant. The surgery went well, he came out great, happy and still talking everyone up, being friendly. Everything after that is a blur. Every day has been another up or down roller coaster of emotion and exhaustion. He has been through ICU delirium, lots of confusion, constant procedures and scopes. Here we both are a month later still sitting in the ICU. He is critical, he has zero chance to survive where we are in this journey, the lungs have failed, he has a stent holding whats left of the necrotic tissues together at the surgical site, his liver is struggling so hes yellowish, he has clots,adema and a raging pneumococcal infection which is in many areas, and the list goes on. Basically its Checkmate. He is back on the transplant list to try to retransplant before we lose him. Its a low chance of surviving but its a chance.

As his caretaker and daughter im spending with him daily, talking to medical teams, social workers, transplant coordinators, financial people, physical therapy and every aspect of his care because things change so rapidly day to day. When I get down time i'm checking on life management things and updating friends and family and taking calls through the night from his nurses. This has all made it very difficult for me to work right now to pay even the usual bills for this unplanned length of time. Add to that 30$ a day for gas, more for daily parking, forget getting food here at 12$ a sandwich, all while worrying about senior pics and school supplies and groceries for next week.

I just feel so heavy right now. I am tired and scared, he is tired and scared, but we are not done yet! It's not over until we've done everything we can. I don't know how to live a life without my dad in it and he can't give up. I need to be here with him like he has been for me so i am swallowing my pride and would be so grateful for any help i'm offered. Thank everyone who have been asking to help. It's amazing the kindness everyone has shown asking how he and I are doing and sending cards and support. Please keep pulling for him, he worked so hard for this chance to lose him this way. Bless you guys