
Support Ashley's Heart Recovery and Her Kids
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My name is Ashley, I'm 29, about to celebrate my 30th birthday. I am the primary physical parent to my two children, Addalynn (9) & Joshua Jr (6). Recently I had a cardiac event where I passed out three times & almost didnt come back. The first episode was while at home asleep, my boyfriend got me back alert. I went to Novant Hospital in Supply that day where I had a second cardiac event in their emergency room. I was admitted that night for an observation on a EKG & the following morning while sleeping I once again had another event this time captured on EKG. They said that I had torsades, Vtach, prolonged QTs, high tropin levels, The EKG observed my heart rate drop down 30 bpm while sleeping, then within 27 seconds it was up to 244 bpm & I woke up on my own right before they were going to shock my heart. I was then transferred from Novant Brunswick to the Cardiac ICU at NHRMC in Wilmington where I spent 5 days in the ICU, 1 night in step down & then I was released yesterday with heart meds & having to wear a Zoll Lifevest which is a wearable defibrillator. This could be permanent damage, I'm undergoing genetic testing & have multiple cardiac appointments coming up. I had just started a new job at the Holiday Inn as a Housekeeper a week before this all happened, When I was Hospitalized I was in constant contact with the General Manager who hired me, he reassured me that my job would be there when I got home, I was hoping to go back next week because I am the sole provider for my two kids, I don't get financial assistance from their father. My children attend the local charter school where there is no busses for transportation or even a cafeteria for free meals, due to my custody agreement they have had to stay in the school another year & I'm financially responsible for providing transportation & packed lunches five days a week. My mother passed away in 2017, my father underwent a double lung transplant last year & he's recently had to move back to his home state of Illinois & due to my custody agreement I cannot follow him for assistance & he's also on disability & unable to help much. I have always worked, I love to work. I'm dedicated to my work as I am aware I need to provide a good life for my children. Now that I'm home from the ICU, & found out I've been fired, after a week there I'm not sure I'm eligible for unemployment. I'm also not sure if I'm eligible for temp disability or even the avenue to look into that. Right now I just need to make sure I can provide for my children until I can find another job, so maybe a few weeks? I do understand that with my new health condition, I probably do need to take it slow but unfortunately for me life does not stop neither does the bills even if I almost died. I am stressed, scared, depressed, worried, etc all on a bad heart now, tethered to a lifebest 24/7 minus 15 minutes a day for a shower however it is all portable & will not stop me from working when the opportunity comes around. I am actively applying for work again & calling back places that I applied to prior to accepting the job at the Holiday Inn. I'm asking if you are able to donate even a dollar to help, or even a share on your page to get this seen, I would greatly appreciate it. I am trying to do better in life & I am attending church again & just need a little boost to help get me through. I have proof of my medical records, my paperwork from my lifevest, as well as proof of where my job went from secured to fired & i will be openly transparent throughout this. Thank you for taking the time to read this & please keep me & my family in your prayers. Praise God I am alive.
Organizer
Ashley Bittecuffer
Organizer
Bolivia, NC