Hi, my name is Kassey and I’m fundraising because we need help with my partner Mark’s mounting healthcare costs, heart surgery, and recuperation time.

Earlier this year, Mark was diagnosed with a severe mitral valve leak in his heart. The sort of thing that comes as a surprise to a fit and active chap who’s yet to hit 50. Turns out leading a healthy lifestyle doesn’t safeguard you from your body malfunctioning. Actually, surprise is an understatement, make it shock - and it has been an extremely depressing and anxious time for us both. Mark has been my rock and greatest supporter for over 15 years of us being together. This news was unfathomable. The only positive is that it has certainly brought us even closer together than ever before. You really do appreciate something more when it’s (potentially) gone. He’s even allowed to leave his socks lying around now.

Prognosis if untreated? Gradual heart failure, needing oxygen and being bed ridden within 5 years. Life expectancy 5-10 years.

The cause? Unknown. Birth defect, lifelong history of dental infections, or physical trauma etc.

The cardiologist was a bit blasé - just get open heart surgery. As simple as being bed ridden, in agony and unable to lift a finger for 3-6 months as you wait for your ribs to somewhat knit back together which can take as long as 2 years to fully repair. The list of likely complications is astronomical. Work and farm and animal responsibilities? Forget about it! Oh and get it done in 3-4 months or risk irreparable deterioration. No other options presented as he tossed Mark out of his office. He’s no longer Mark’s cardiologist.

To anyone who knows me, it’ll come as little surprise that I’m not an agreeable sort of person that will just go with the flow and just accept whatever is offered no matter how unpalatable. After extensive research it became obvious that there was a much better method with a faster recovery - keyhole valve repair surgery. Instead of cracking you open like a nut, a surgeon makes a number of small incisions for specialised tools and cameras. They stop your heart and put you on a heart-lung machine while they slice, dice and stitch away. It takes about 3 hours. Yes it requires an extremely skilled surgeon - but when it comes to matters of cardiothoracic surgery why would you settle for any other kind? We’re booked in for 14th July please keep us in your thoughts and prayers for a safe and successful surgery and recuperation. (Edit: due to a dentist’s screw up the surgery is now booked for the 16th of July)

To get keyhole heart surgery within the prescribed time frame, we’re forced to self-fund it - Medicare has unfortunately not caught up with the more modern approaches to medicine as they’re chronically underfunded and not exactly patient-oriented. Nor do they pay much towards specialist appointments. Whoever said that all you need to see a doctor in Australia is a Medicare card is obviously a comedian. Medical insurance deem it a pre-existing condition with a long exclusion period. Estimated cost of surgery with a 2 day ICU and 3-5 day hospital stay - $70,000-80,000. Recommended time off work - 6 weeks. Timeframe for physical rehabilitation and mental recovery from anaesthesia and various heart drugs? Up to a year.

A little known fact, but heart health is closely linked to your dental health. To qualify for heart surgery, you also require a dental clearance as you cannot afford to have any tooth infections going forward or you risk heart inflammation and a recurrence. (Parents, please stay on top of your kids’ dental needs to set them up for a healthy life. It becomes exponentially more expensive for them as adults. Also, Medicare, dental health is pretty important and linked to overall health. Seemingly everyone is aware but you?)

The current quote for the dentistry is just around $20,000. Thanks to Medibank for covering the first $400 per calendar year. Paying for your policy is a genuinely worthwhile investment.

I will also be needing someone to help out with farm work as I’ll need to keep a very close eye on Mark in hospital and the first few weeks when he’s hopefully back at home. Both our families unfortunately can’t make it to help due to distance and prior commitments and I’m feeling a bit alone and daunted by the task at hand. Did someone say Valium overdose?

If you can, please donate you absolute champion! If you can’t, we would be deeply grateful if you could please share. And most of all, please appreciate whatever moments you have with your nearest and dearest as life can take an unexpected turn in a blink of an eye. Love today, not tomorrow.

Kassey

PS. To anyone faced with difficult health matters, please do not hesitate to advocate on your or someone else’s behalf. You can indeed ask questions, seek better care providers, newer methods and second opinions.