Michael's survival story...

I am Michael Morales and I live in the Orlando, FL area and I have been sick since the summer months of 2024. I started to get abdominal pain and shortness of breath and had my gallbladder removed, a simple and quick procedure. However, within a few hours of being discharged, I returned to the emergency room and became more ill. I was diagnosed with an acute sa-ddle pulmonary embolism and underwent emergency thrombectomy surgery. Unfortunately, this situation led me into heart failure. I have undergone multiple emergency procedures, placed on Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO), intubated and under sedation, taking up residency at the Advent Health Advanced Cardiac ICU. During this time, my wife Michelle, my children, Granddaughters have been by my side, and I have been touched by the kindness, compassion and prayers of many more.

I have been on an emotional, physical, terrifying and helpless rollercoaster. My respiratory system, my heart and lungs are completely compromised to the extent that I have choked on my stomach fluid. I have experienced my ECMO stopping and a remarkable doctor conducted emergency decannulation surgery, saving and extending my life. I was discharged from the hospital on July 20th; however, my recovery was far from over. The next few weeks became more challenging, I was continuously fatigued, slept for most of the day, my body began to retain an insurmountable amount of fluid, and I kept gaining weight because of this retention and my skin was stretched upon its limits. My body started to respond by leaking the excess water through my stretched skin and my main organs began to shut down. In September, I was readmitted to the hospital for fluid overload and advanced heart failure. I underwent a rigorous diuresis regimen to remove this excess fluid and managed to loose between 30 to 40 pounds of water. However, while in recovery doctors gave me and Michelle the unfortunate news that I would require a heart transplant. But, with all organ transplants the patient has to undergo a rigorous testing process to prove one is suitable to be an organ recipient.

While I waited for the green light to be placed on a transplant list, the Advent Health medical team recommended for the install of the Left Ventricular Assist Device (heart pump), a device that would serve as a bridge for future transplantation. In October, as Floridians prepared for Hurricane Milton, I was preparing for the "what if moment", the hospital went into lockdown and suddenly I went into cardiogenic shock, my heart rate surged into dangerous rates and the medical team had to stop and recharge my heart. Insane, right? Thankful for

prayer warriors, God's mercy and the medical team, I was stabilized and managed to get through the hurricane and undergo LVAD surgery the following week. This surgery was a success, thankful for the remarkable and gifted heart transplant team. I would require 24-hour care and support as I recovered, however, once again my body was too week. My blood pressure became unstable, dropping substantially due to medication and causing me to faint and fall multiple times. Despite this setback, I was able to get through physical and occupational therapy. However, through this journey so much more has transpired, my wife became my full-time caregiver, staying by my bedside and becoming exhausted too. Michelle unfortunately had to resolve to resign her teaching career, as managing her classwork load and taking care of her ailing husband was arduous.

I have been in and out of the hospital for most of 2024, undergone therapy and rehabilitation and then developed multiple subdural hematomas (four to be exact), which led to debilitating migraines, seizures and three transient ischemic attacks (mini strokes) and ultimately requiring emergency craniotomy (brain surgery).

Again, thanks be to God, I made it through that ordeal and started to recover, went through therapy and rehabilitation to relearn a few things making progress, gaining my physical and inner strengths. However, on December 12th, just shy of one day to be discharged and finally go home to be with my family, my LVAD malfunctioned and the hospital medical record system went through a major malfunction as well. As doctors, nurses and therapists scrambled to care for me, they resorted to the old fashion way, communicating by phone and paper. You are probably wondering, Michael can't get a break! I was rushed to Advent Health ICU once again, awaiting for systems to come back on-line in order to undergo appropriate testing and know why the LVAD malfunctioned. Fellow reader, I was informed that I have a massive blood clot in the LVAD tubing and the machine is literally an inoperable device. This device was pumping my heart and now, my debilitated heart in struggling to beat on its own. I need a new heart, one that can not be transplanted in Florida. I am blessed to be referred and accepted to Duke University Medical Center in North Carolina for my heart transplant, as they have the experience and resources to deal with my case, effectively and safely.

However, this is not an easy feat and WE need your help. Michelle and I need to relocate to Durham, NC for several months and perhaps for a year leaving our family and loved pooch behind.

I never imagined in my lifetime that something like this would/could happen. As we move forward for the next step in my medical journey, there are many bills that have been incurred thus so far and will continue to come in, we have sadly depleted our savings. We are respectfully and humbly seeking your financial support.

Family, friend and fellow reader, your support will be used to cover cost of living, housing/lodging expenses, airfare and fueling/gas costs, travel to and from the medical and rehabilitation facilities, follow-up appointments after surgery, meals and incidentals. We hope that our story will encourage you, and please know that your generosity and support is very much appreciated.

-Michael & Michelle Morales-