Saving Michael's Broken Heart

I write this with a broken heart, a hope that broken hearts can be fixed, & an overwhelming desire to have more time with my Dad (Michael).

I first met Michael when I was 5 years old. I was a painfully shy little girl growing up. So, when I entered my surprise birthday party, my attention went straight to the mysterious teddy bear (Michael) sitting in the corner. Much to everyone's surprise, I walked right up to him and climbed into his lap without an introduction! I believe that, even as a 5-year-old, I could sense the magnitude of love & safety emanating from this man.

Being raised by a person like Michael taught me to love others with no limits, & there are no stipulations for who deserves kindness. Michael has the biggest heart you'll find with an inherent altruistic duty to help others. Growing up, we pulled over to assist people on the side of the road, gave up our seats so others could sit down, ran ahead of people to open the door for them, etc.

In July 2025, after battling gallbladder issues for years, Michael experienced his "worst gallbladder attack ever" and reported to the ER with severe abdominal pain and heartburn. The hospital staff were perplexed as his lab work and imaging did not show gallbladder dysfunction. In the coming hours, it became apparent we were dealing with a cardiac event... a MASSIVE heart attack! He was rushed to an emergent cardiac catheterization procedure, used to place stents and balloon open blocked vessels, to restore perfusion to the heart. The cardiologist discovered things were much worse than anticipated. Michael then became medically unstable after they tried to balloon open a vessel, so they had to abort the procedure. The new game plan was to see if Michael was a candidate for cardiac bypass surgery, instead.

That ER visit turned into a week-long hospitalization, as the medical team worked hard to stabilize Michael's condition. Each new day brought more information, painting a clearer picture of what was going on: Michael's gallbladder was fine, and likely always has been. Were all of his past gallbladder attacks actually heart attacks?!

A heart MRI showed what we feared the most: extensive, permanent, irreparable damage. Just like a broken vase, Michael's heart is covered in scars resembling cracks... as souvenirs from prior heart attacks. The heart vessels just beneath those scarred surfaces? 75-100% blocked and require intervention. Sadly, doctors confirmed even a cardiac bypass would not restore perfusion to parts of his heart, as the tissue is already dead. The next best option is to reattempt a cardiac catheterization, but Michael must get stronger first. He must first recover from the most recent heart attack and multifocal pneumonia. He was discharged home from the hospital with a plan to follow-up with cardiology at the end of August. Between now and then, we must both help Michael stay stable AND get stronger. We are certainly not "out of the woods", yet.

As a small business owner, Michael is without certain benefits including health insurance. Spending one week in the hospital has already racked up over $200K in bills for my family. As a nurse, I witness how uninsured patients respond to medical crises and it's the same response I heard from Michael: "I can't bankrupt my family just so I can stay alive".

When it comes to needing help, Michael believes "there are always others in greater need than me". While Michael was waiting in the ER lobby to be seen, a lady came in with a foot injury and was limping. Michael sprung up from his chair (while having an active heart attack!) to provide her assistance. This is the type of person my Dad is. He's not going to ask for help, and he shouldn't HAVE to.

My Dad is only 55-years-old, and we almost lost him. My Dad needs ongoing medical care to stay alive. I firmly believe that my Dad's life holds more value than man-made concepts, such as money and health insurance. However, the world we are living in requires money to stay alive. If you are able to contribute anything, please know you are helping grant us more time with my Dad... and I could never repay you for showing such kindness. Whether it's sending good thoughts our way, or helping monetarily, THANK YOU!