Marites Exaltacion Medical Fund
Donation protected
My name is Lei Mosqueda, I work as a nurse practitioner in Florida, USA. I am reaching out to you to extend some much needed help to one of my college classmates, Maria Theresa “Marites” Exaltacion. She has developed congestive heart failure and cardiomyopathy, a condition where the heart muscle has become weak and unable to pump the blood effectively to circulate to the rest of her body. She needs to undergo a heart angiogram and possible cardiac catheterization to see if any of her heart arteries are blocked and if they are, attempt to repair them.
I have known Marites for the last 20 years. She and I went to the same nursing school in Cebu City, Philippines. She is a genuinely warm person who is quick to laughter. She has a bubbly personality that makes people at ease with her. She loves to cook. She makes the best chocolate crinkles I have ever tasted! She also loves to dance.
While we were in nursing school, I remember Marites having severe asthma. Her asthma was so bad that it could not be controlled by inhalers. Her doctor had to put her on oral steroids which caused her to gain a lot of weight and increase her blood sugar level. It also caused her to miss a lot of school days both in the classroom and during our hospital rotation. She would attempt to lose weight, only to gain it all back again due to the oral steroids.
In 2007, Marites decided to leave for New Zealand to work as a nurse. Like most immigrants, starting anew in a foreign country was difficult. She was beset with multiple health problems, misfortunes and just plain bad luck.
Shortly after she started working at a local resthome/nursing home in New Zealand, Marites sustained a back injury (slipped disc) while lifting an obese patient with a co-worker. She had to undergo several months of physical therapy and acupuncture which caused her to miss several weeks of work.
In 2008, she was found to have 2 large bilateral dermoid cysts the size of an avocado and a lemon in her ovaries. She had to undergo laparotomy and bilateral dermoid cystectomy. After the operation, she developed a post-operative infection which caused her to stay in the hospital for a long time. In New Zealand, she worked with a private company which only entitled her 5 days of sick leave per year. If you don’t work, you don’t earn money.
In May 2010, the small town where she lived in the Eastern Bay of Plenty, New Zealand, was severely flooded and had heavy landslides. She lost all her material possessions due to this natural calamity and was rendered homeless temporarily.
In 2013, she had a major car accident due to a road construction which she sustained multiple injuries. In the same year, her father died of congestive heart failure and stroke, and she was unable to go home to see him due to her injuries and financial difficulties. She did not have enough money to buy a plane ticket. She went into severe depression and thought of committing suicide. She was placed into intense therapy sessions for several months at that point. Her asthma continued to worsen until she can no longer work effectively as a nurse. She was hospitalized several times for asthma exacerbation and was admitted to the ICU because of this. In 2015, she decided to back to the Philippines for good.
Last month, she was admitted to Adventist (Miller) Hospital in Cebu City Philippines, due to severe shortness of breath and severe coughing. She was found to have full blown congestive heart failure and cardiomyopathy at the age of 40. Marites has developed diabetes due to prolonged steroid use and in turn, caused her to have congestive heart failure. The doctor told her that she will need an angiogram to check if the arteries in her heart are blocked. The angiogram alone costs about PhP 70,000- 80,000 (Philippine pesos). If blockages are found in the angiogram, she will need a heart catheterization and possibly an angioplasty to reopen the blocked arteries. The doctor might also decide to put a metal stent into the arteries if the arteries cannot be reopened. The angioplasty will cost up to PhP 1,000,000 or more. She is currently on 11 medications for diabetes, heart failure, hypertension and asthma. Her ailing health will not allow her to seek & maintain employment.
It is for these reasons that I am asking all of you to help Marites by donating to her medical fund. 100% of the proceeds will go towards covering the cost of her angiogram, heart catheterization and possibly angioplasty or stent placement. The funds will also be used towards her maintenance medication and her day-to-day expenses. Please keep Marites in your prayers. She can be reached through Facebook messenger or through her cellphone at +63 9430374213. Thank you and I hope you will be generous and help a friend in need.
“For I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and your welcomed me. I was naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came to me. Then the righteous will answer him, saying “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?” And the King answered them: “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of my brothers, you did it unto me." -Matthew 25:35-40.
I have known Marites for the last 20 years. She and I went to the same nursing school in Cebu City, Philippines. She is a genuinely warm person who is quick to laughter. She has a bubbly personality that makes people at ease with her. She loves to cook. She makes the best chocolate crinkles I have ever tasted! She also loves to dance.
While we were in nursing school, I remember Marites having severe asthma. Her asthma was so bad that it could not be controlled by inhalers. Her doctor had to put her on oral steroids which caused her to gain a lot of weight and increase her blood sugar level. It also caused her to miss a lot of school days both in the classroom and during our hospital rotation. She would attempt to lose weight, only to gain it all back again due to the oral steroids.
In 2007, Marites decided to leave for New Zealand to work as a nurse. Like most immigrants, starting anew in a foreign country was difficult. She was beset with multiple health problems, misfortunes and just plain bad luck.
Shortly after she started working at a local resthome/nursing home in New Zealand, Marites sustained a back injury (slipped disc) while lifting an obese patient with a co-worker. She had to undergo several months of physical therapy and acupuncture which caused her to miss several weeks of work.
In 2008, she was found to have 2 large bilateral dermoid cysts the size of an avocado and a lemon in her ovaries. She had to undergo laparotomy and bilateral dermoid cystectomy. After the operation, she developed a post-operative infection which caused her to stay in the hospital for a long time. In New Zealand, she worked with a private company which only entitled her 5 days of sick leave per year. If you don’t work, you don’t earn money.
In May 2010, the small town where she lived in the Eastern Bay of Plenty, New Zealand, was severely flooded and had heavy landslides. She lost all her material possessions due to this natural calamity and was rendered homeless temporarily.
In 2013, she had a major car accident due to a road construction which she sustained multiple injuries. In the same year, her father died of congestive heart failure and stroke, and she was unable to go home to see him due to her injuries and financial difficulties. She did not have enough money to buy a plane ticket. She went into severe depression and thought of committing suicide. She was placed into intense therapy sessions for several months at that point. Her asthma continued to worsen until she can no longer work effectively as a nurse. She was hospitalized several times for asthma exacerbation and was admitted to the ICU because of this. In 2015, she decided to back to the Philippines for good.
Last month, she was admitted to Adventist (Miller) Hospital in Cebu City Philippines, due to severe shortness of breath and severe coughing. She was found to have full blown congestive heart failure and cardiomyopathy at the age of 40. Marites has developed diabetes due to prolonged steroid use and in turn, caused her to have congestive heart failure. The doctor told her that she will need an angiogram to check if the arteries in her heart are blocked. The angiogram alone costs about PhP 70,000- 80,000 (Philippine pesos). If blockages are found in the angiogram, she will need a heart catheterization and possibly an angioplasty to reopen the blocked arteries. The doctor might also decide to put a metal stent into the arteries if the arteries cannot be reopened. The angioplasty will cost up to PhP 1,000,000 or more. She is currently on 11 medications for diabetes, heart failure, hypertension and asthma. Her ailing health will not allow her to seek & maintain employment.
It is for these reasons that I am asking all of you to help Marites by donating to her medical fund. 100% of the proceeds will go towards covering the cost of her angiogram, heart catheterization and possibly angioplasty or stent placement. The funds will also be used towards her maintenance medication and her day-to-day expenses. Please keep Marites in your prayers. She can be reached through Facebook messenger or through her cellphone at +63 9430374213. Thank you and I hope you will be generous and help a friend in need.
“For I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and your welcomed me. I was naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came to me. Then the righteous will answer him, saying “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?” And the King answered them: “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of my brothers, you did it unto me." -Matthew 25:35-40.
Organizer
Lei Aranas Mosqueda
Organizer
Orlando, FL