Robert Becks Heart

On Wednesday, April 24, 2019 one life changed forever.  The life of Robert Joseph Beck.   Rewind to a week prior when Robert was having chest pains he attributed to pressure washing over a three day period.  The symptoms did not seem to be improving at all, but he continued to go on with life. 

Robert and his wife Cathy, own a lawn care business and just like any other normal day, she went to work as a teacher and he went to work for his lawn clients.  On this particular day he was mowing and had a steep embankment that had to be push mowed.  As he pushed one side of the hill the pain in his chest began to worsen and he knew something was just not right.  He told his client he didn't feel good and something was wrong.  His client went and got aspirin for him (which in fact saved his life.)  Robert loaded his trailer with his mowers and drove himself to his wife's work (that in itself is a miracle because he was at that moment having a massive heart attack.)  He made his way into the school office and could barely get the words out that he needed his wife. 

Skip ahead to the urgent care who in turn told them to immediately go to the Emergency Room.  Within 41 minutes he was in surgery with a stint in his heart.  Everything seemed to be going great until a turn of events.  Fast forward to Thursday and Robert being life-flighted to Gainesville, Florida for open heart surgery.  His heart attack was so massive it completely ruptured a valve in his heart.  His heart was regurgitating blood and filling up his lungs.  Upon arrival at North Florida Regional they were given devastating news that the surgery could not take place at that moment and that if they went forward he would have a 50% chance of making it through the surgery.  He was placed on heart and lung machines as well as breathing machines until his open heart surgery which he was able to do on Friday after an extensive six hour surgery.  He is currently in a medically induced coma until they feel like he can be safely taken off of these, as he can not move at all due to the Impella Device to his heart and the pacemaker.  There are many more issues they are dealing with due to the lack of blood flow during his heart attack.  His kidney's were greatly affected as well.  His kidney's are their second concern at this moment but discussion of dialysis is on the table when that time comes. As, well as finding out that he has other damage to his heart from heart disease that he was unaware of, there is further damage to his heart that can not be fixed at this time and will require further treatment in the future. 

I came to my sister to ask her permission to set up this page for several reasons.  First and foremost because we have been here before with insurmountable bills for medical issues with our infant son.  We thank God that there were hospital programs that were able to pay for all of his bills, but there were still expenses that no one could prepare for.  Secondly they have no insurance!  Because of his self-employment their insurance costs would have run at almost $1000 per month.  For most people you can see this just isn't an option, therefore they are uninsured.  At this moment one can only imagine the cost of two hospitals, life flight transportation and multiple surgeries.  Can you put a price on a Life? No, absolutely not!  The hospitals and staff have continued to treat him regardless of the financial situation and at this moment that is all that matters.  Because of the extent of his issues the decision has been made to dissolve his business,  because he will  no longer be able to work in that capacity.  In order to not incur any more costs on their business they will dissolve before May 1,  2019.   

My heart is broken for this situation but we are trusting God for a miracle to take place for his healing and that everything that needs to take place in order for him to thrive in this life will transpire.

But there is a reality, and that reality is there is a loss of income, and there are bills that need to be paid.  These two are some of the most giving people I know and have always gone above and beyond to give to others, not only monetarily but also of their time, skill and talents.

When I presented my sister with  my request to set up this account she couldn't even talk.  Finally she relented.  No one wants to be "That Person," the one that is in this situation - No one can ever imagine being here, yet they are.   

Can you help relieve some of the impending stress that is at the table today?  Roberts whole reason for putting off his own health was because he did not want to put his family finances at a risk and he, at this moment, is not  even aware of all that has transpired since day one.  I do not wish to have him wake up and comprehend the extent of what has taken place and the thankfulness of being alive to be shadowed by the overwhelming fear of what now! And the "How will we manage this now that life has change."

We live in a community of loving people that desire to help, but sometimes just don't know how to go about that.  So I'm opening up this avenue to help those who want to do something but just don't know how to go about that.

Thank you in advance for helping Robert with these medical expenses. May God richly bless you in return.