Let's Help Wayne & Nina

In February, Nina’s husband Wayne became very sick. At first, they thought it was food poisoning, but it was a very serious, life threatening blood clot in the main vein into his liver called a portal vein thrombosis. After spending several days in the hospital in Bozeman, the doctors found severe liver disease. Then after he was life flighted to the University of Utah hospital in Salt Lake City, the doctors there determined Wayne also had liver cancer. They determined that his best chance of survival was a liver transplant. In June, they treated the cancer and when they did, Wayne’s diaphragm was stunned. This happens quite often, but it recovers. His diaphragm has not recovered and is not working, so it pushes up against his right lung and the lung can only fill about half full. Fluid builds up around his lungs and he has to go to the doctor several times a week to have the fluid taken off by a procedure called a thoracentesis. All that fluid’s a terrible feeling – he says it feels like he’s drowning. In August, doctors at Huntsman Cancer Center in Salt Lake City (there are no doctors in Montana that can do this procedure) inserted a Denver Shunt into his right side that has a tube from below his lung that runs up to his artery in his neck. A small squishy type ball in his chest has to be pumped 4-5 times a day and at least 20 times each time to keep it working properly and keep it from getting plugged. Of course, throughout this whole ordeal, Nina was missing a lot of work. Ultimately, she was forced to quit her job. While back in Montana during another hospital stay, they received the call that Salt Lake City possibly had a liver for Wayne. It turned out not to be viable, but it made them realize that they needed to be closer to Salt Lake – they needed to move. So, Nina’s been trying to pack up their house, sell things, take other things to storage . . . I can hardly imagine the stress that Nina’s under right now. But you all know Nina – you know the beautiful person she is. It shouldn’t surprise you that she said, “I’m keeping a positive outlook and keeping the faith, and just kind of living day to day and trying to make every day count and be happy and special.” When I approached her about setting up a GoFundMe page, she was emotional and so very grateful. It’s hard for her to ask for help, but she knows that to get through this, she’s going to need all of our help. She says that she appreciates our help more than she could ever express. Please do what you can to help our dear friend in need.