Aaron Acevedo is a very kind and generous person, who has done so much for others throughout his life. Now he needs our help. Aaron is currently in Mount Sinai hospital in New York City, preparing to receive a double transplant of a heart and a kidney. This is an immensely difficult and expensive process, so we are reaching out for help to make it through and help Aaron get a new lease on life.
I am Ben, Aaron’s youngest brother, and I have been his caregiver for a few years now, and his wife’s caregiver before that. I have been alongside Aaron throughout this process and can testify to how much of a struggle it has been, but also how hard he has been fighting to make it through.
For those unfamiliar with Aaron and his story, or for those who only know a little, I will share it here. Aaron and his late wife Jeannine have always been such loving people and have always been there for those who needed them. They have had several people live with them for extended periods of time when they needed a place to stay. They have helped me so much over the years that I couldn’t possibly list it all.
Aaron married Jeannine when they were very young – he was 19 years old. Aaron then served in the Navy for 9 years, with Jeannine by his side throughout. After he left the Navy, he went into tabletop roleplaying games, where he has been ever since. He became an Art Director and opened his own studio. Over the past 27 years in the industry, he has helped create a vast number of TTRPGs, card games, and board games.
Aaron’s health woes began when he was struck with pancreatitis around 20 years ago. His pancreas stopped functioning and he was in excruciating pain for several days. After he recovered, his pancreas was no longer able to produce insulin, so he became diabetic. Over the next 15 or so years, his kidney function declined until he was diagnosed with kidney failure and had to begin dialysis. He has since spent the last 4 years going into the dialysis center 3 days a week for 4 hours per session, having his blood cleaned.
Right around when he began dialysis, Jeannine was diagnosed with glioblastoma, a terminal brain cancer with a 15-month prognosis. Aaron devoted everything to caring for Jeannine. He sold his company so that he could spend as much time with her as possible. During this time, he also continued his dialysis treatments.
After about a year on dialysis, Aaron had a fistula surgery on his arm, which limited him to only be able to lift 5 pounds with it. Shortly after this procedure, Jeannine had a stroke and lost mobility in half of her body. Due to the fistula limits, Aaron was unable to help her stand up and move around. So my wife and I began helping them and ended up moving in with them temporarily in order to care for Jeannine around the clock.
While there, we witnessed the depth of love and absolute devotion Aaron and Jeannine had for each other. Aaron did everything he could to make sure Jeannine was as happy and comfortable as possible. Jeannine fought hard and encouraged Aaron to do the same.
Since losing her, he has continued to fight every day. It has been a long process, and it has taken a lot from him. During the work-ups for a kidney transplant, they found that his heart valves were leaking due to calcium building up because of the kidney failure. He was required to undergo open heart surgery to correct it.
When he awoke from the open-heart surgery, he had lost all hearing in his right ear. He underwent painful injections into his ear drum to try to correct this, but they were unsuccessful. The recovery process for the open heart surgery was extremely difficult and painful, due in large part to the need to undergo dialysis 3-4 times per week, where he was unable to move for the whole 4 hours.
A few months into recovery, Aaron’s retina in his right eye detached, which required emergency surgery to correct. He then had to get cataract surgery in both eyes. Just over a year after he had the detached retina in his right eye, it happened in his left eye, which required another emergency surgery. Due to constant dehydration from fluid restrictions for his kidneys, his eyes have lost the protective coating of tears, so he has lost a significant amount of clarity in his vision. As a result, Aaron has been unable to continue working.
Over the past year, the dialysis has been less effective at removing the buildup of fluid, so he had to undergo several paracentesis and thoracentesis procedures. In January, Aaron had an extreme bout of insomnia following a covid and pneumonia infection. He was awake for 5 days straight two different times before his doctors were able to find a sleep medication that worked for him.
Over the past few years, Aaron was continuing the many work-ups needed to be listed on the kidney transplant list. He only had one thing left and had to redo heart scans. It was discovered that he was having heart problems and needed to be evaluated by specialists. He went to Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City to get the testing done and found that he needs a heart transplant in addition to the kidney.
Now Aaron has been admitted to the hospital for up to a few months to finish the heart transplant work-ups and prepare for the double transplant surgery. He will stay in the hospital until the surgery is completed.
Aaron has been through a lot in the last few years from all of his own medical procedures, plus those of Jeannine. He has suffered many losses as well – his hearing in one ear, much of his vision, his mobility, and of course his beloved wife Jeannine, as well as our sister Heather, who passed last year due to liver failure.
Right now, Aaron is extremely worn out and has trouble hearing and communicating with his doctors, so I came down to New York City with him. I help communicate with his care team and make sure Aaron is as comfortable as possible. I’ve gotten him cushions, a rechargeable fan, a massager, and other things to help as issues come up. I also try to support, encourage, and entertain him as much as I can.
Aaron has been having a hard time in the hospital, but he feels much better when someone is with him. I have booked a room nearby and have been coming every day. I will stay here until he is able to go back home, with the exception of a few days when other relatives will come to stay with him. This has been very expensive and will only get more so. Aaron is on disability now and I have been unable to work consistently, so funds are limited.
Aaron and all of his family are now reaching out to his family, friends, gaming community, and anyone else who wants to help. We will do everything possible to support Aaron during this time and anything that you are able to contribute will go towards that effort. We all appreciate the love and support so many have shown and continue to show. Thank you for your time and consideration.