Sierra needs a new heart!

Hi, we are raising funds for Sierra who is needing a heart transplant.

One year ago, at 28 years old, Sierra found herself in complete heart failure over the course of 3 days. She had never experienced any issues with her heart prior. Since then, she has been on a roller coaster ride of appointments and surgeries to try and help her heart.

Last week, she went in for an ablation that should have improved her heart’s functioning. An ablation is a procedure that causes some scarring on the inside of the heart to help reprogram the electric signals in the heart. However, things have quickly gone downhill since. Within a few days she was admitted to the ICU and was told that she would likely need a heart transplant. Just a couple days later, it was determined she would definitely need a new heart. She had a IABP placed – which is a balloon inserted into the aorta to help her heart rest and and recover. The IABP was not sufficient, and she was quickly moved to an ECMO device. ECMO is a life support device that bypasses her heart while she is waiting for a heart transplant. She will have to stay in the CVICU (cardiovascular ICU) until she has a new heart, has recovered, and is able to return home.

Sierra is an amazing nurse and is used to caring for and taking care of others and is now unable to work for an undetermined amount of time. Transplants typically take 3-6 months to fully recover from after the surgery. She will also be immunocompromised after the transplant and will need to be very careful around other people and in public places.

Sierra recently started a new job and is not eligible for FMLA or disability, and cannot yet benefit from the company's sick leave donation pool. During this time out of work, she has medical expenses that are adding up quickly, along with all of life’s normal bills and expenses. We are hoping to help her out with some of these ongoing expenses and take a little stress out of this entire ordeal.

Please feel free to share this and help our friend through this journey!

Much love and many thanks,

Terra & Michelle