Support Derek's Recovery from Aortic Dissection

I never thought I’d have to make one of these, but the unthinkable happened to my brother, Derek on May 18th. It was a normal day for Derek, he went to the gym and then to the driving range to hit some golf balls. When he swung the club he got light headed, dizzy, blurred vision, and felt like he was going to pass out. He called Kelly (his wife) and she immediately came and got him and took him to the emergency room. It just so happened my parents were half an hour away because they were all going to a festival together that afternoon. Derek called my mom and said I think I have an aortic dissection. When he got to the ER his blood pressure was in the 60’s and CT results showed he did have an aortic dissection. He was rushed to another hospital when his blood pressure dropped into the 40’s. But as we all know Derek is extremely strong and still talking and alert at this point. The surgeon was waiting for him in the operating room. Not only did he need the dissection fixed, he also had to have his aortic valve and root replaced. After a long 6 hours he came out of surgery and the doctor said things went well. Derek is still here with us and showing great signs of improvement. Anything you can donate is extremely appreciated as Derek won’t be able to work for months and I’m sure the medical bills will be outrageous. Thank you everyone and keep Derek and our family in your thoughts and prayers.

-Megan