On April 17, 2025, I had an appointment with Penn Cardiology for an echocardiogram as a follow-up to an incident when I passed out at work the month before. I had spent a few days at St. Mary’s Hospital where they observed me and ultimately just recommended I follow up for testing outpatient. I decided I felt more comfortable with Penn Medicine and got my echo scheduled for a month later.

This appointment did not go as expected. After the testing went longer than anticipated, including adding a contrast study during it, I was told one of the cardiologists would be in to discuss the results before I left. At that time, I was informed that my ejection fraction, or the amount of blood your heart pumps out with each contraction, was significantly lower than the normal 50-70% at just 16% and was in severe heart failure. I would later be given a diagnosis of Non-ischemic Dilated Cardiomyopathy; a heart muscle disease where the heart's left ventricle stretches and dilates, making it harder to pump blood effectively.

Since then, my life has been a blur of blood work, IVs, multiple hospitalizations, emergency heart catheterizations, dozens of medications, wearable defibrillators, home health nurses, PICC lines, and a 24-hour continuous cardiac drug being pumped into me at all times.

This has been an extremely difficult time that has turned my world and everyone else around me upside down. Because of the severity of these diseases and their accompanying symptoms (crippling fatigue, extreme shortness of breath, body weakness, and pain), I am on leave from work and Amy and I have been forced to move back in with my mom and Nan.

The next steps are up in the air. The hope is that some of these medications improve my condition enough in the next few months. If that doesn’t happen or complications develop, my next options include a placed internal defibrillator, an LVAD, or ultimately a heart transplant. All real possibilities that my cardiologists are preparing for.

This has been physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausting. Each day is a struggle.

Any donations will go toward helping us get through this struggle financially. I have large accruing medical bills with the probability of much larger ones in the future, a loss of income, and huge monthly insurance premiums. And a difficult living situation with 4 people in a 2 bed/1 bath house. This is a permanent situation that I will deal with for the rest of my life and anything received will go to managing these hardships.

I am so grateful for the support and outreach from everyone already. I ask that you keep me, Amy, and my family in your thoughts and prayers. We’re all scared but we are leaning on each other. I couldn’t do this without them.