It began with an unexpected ER visit and 3 days in the ICU for Alexandra (Alex) at the end of January. Of course, just about all trips to the ER are unexpected aren’t they? The main concern at the time was two previously undiagnosed heart issues . . . Afib with a dangerously high heart rate that was difficult to get down at first even with treatment in the ER and ICU, and heart failure (reduced ejection fraction).

It is believed that undiagnosed sleep apnea is the cause of the heart issues. There are some other health issues as well, but the heart issues are the most concerning at the moment. And while she is responding well to treatment, some of the damage to the heart may be irreversible, and will require ongoing treatment and care. There will also be followup with her doctors regarding the other health issues over time.

One of the hardest things with this whole situation has been needing to ask for help. The medical bills keep rolling in, and due to our high deductible, out of pocket limit and the things that insurance just doesn’t cover it’s been tough. There have also been medical expenses for Brandon. With his family history of sleep apnea, and now knowing how serious it can be, we have had him assessed, and yep, he has sleep apnea as well. That’s a whole new deductible to be met for his expenses before insurance will pay anything towards his medical expenses.

We are both are self-employed. Alex was unable to work for 2 months, and has just started back to seeing clients on a limited basis as she prioritizes her healing and her health. And last week, Brandon, through no fault of his own, lost an account that will significantly affect our financial bottom line as well. He is working hard to replace the lost income with new accounts, but that can take some time.

And as if all that wasn’t enough, a month after Alex got home from the hospital, our main water line had to be replaced resulting in significant repair bills (five figures) and a very large water bill from the water department for all the water that had been leaking underground from the water line for some time. And in the last two weeks, both of our cars have developed issues that require attention.

And that’s not to mention the added strain to our grocery budget. We do our best to economize, but eating healthy (fresh fruits, vegetables, etc.) is just plain expensive no matter how you slice it. It’s just been piling on and piling on financially, and we need help.

Funds raised from this GoFundMe will be used to assist us with medical and life expenses etc. as we navigate this challenging time, and allow Alex to focus more fully on her health and healing moving forward on her road to recovery.

Any bit of assistance you can give is much appreciated.

Much Love,

Alexandra Windsong & Brandon Barnard