Update – September 8, 2025 (4:30 PM)

Jason was able to come home on September 4th with home oxygen, home health care support, occupational and physical therapy, and close monitoring. At his hospital follow-up today, we were told he’s doing incredibly well—all things considered.

Right now, we don’t know when he’ll be able to return to work. His doctor wants more time to see whether some of his neurological and physical impairments are temporary or permanent. His next follow-up is scheduled for October 9th (unless we need to go in sooner).

We’ve also been cautioned that even something as simple as a virus, cold, fall, or injury could trigger a relapse of ARDS and put him back in the hospital in critical—and potentially fatal—condition. For that reason, we’re avoiding large crowds and doing our best to keep him safe.

We are deeply grateful for everyone’s love, support, and prayers during this incredibly difficult time. Right now, both Jason and I are unable to work and are unsure when we will have money coming in again. If you are able to help in any way, donations can be made here on GoFundMe, or Venmo: @Panicandpep. Your support will help us continue providing for our children while Jason heals.

Thank you all for walking alongside us in this journey. Your kindness, generosity, and prayers are carrying us through.

Update 8/31/25 4pm-

He is off the ventilator and all tubes!!! Our AMAZING Dr. for the last couple of days recognized his anxiety and need for me here when he was being weaned off sedation and transitioning to the SBT, so he pushed hard and fast to get him off the ventilator as soon as I came this morning and he is doing great! He is down to 8L of oxygen, also! HUGE improvements from last night and even this morning. He'll be in the ICU for a couple of days, probably- but we're getting there!! Thank you ALL for everything! Please continue praying we continue in this direction. Love you all!!!

Update 8/27/25 9:00pm:

Jason was transferred to the ICU this morning and underwent an emergent intubation. He is very difficult to sedate, so after talking to them and them seeing he was nodding that he was in pain and wanted to have more sedation- they agreed to increase his sedatives. After being on the maximum sedation medications, he was still fighting it so they have added a new sedative, given him a paralytic, and they say he is not aware at all. Unfortunately, they may try to take him off the paralytic tomorrow which will lead to them weaning his sedation. He is becoming acidotic and they may need to reposition him in the night to help with that. His pneumonia pathogen panel from secretions taken during the emergent intubation and bronchoscopy was negative for all viruses and bacteria that cause pneumonia. Please keep praying. He needs them more than ever now.

Our lives turned upside down on August 20th. What started as a hospital visit for an upper GI bleed quickly spiraled into a fight for Jason’s life.

On Wednesday, August 20th, Jason was admitted to the hospital for an upper GI bleed. During his ER visit, imaging showed his stomach and esophagus were filled with fluid. Hours later, an EGD (scope procedure) was performed, but tragically, Jason aspirated a significant amount of blood, stomach acid, and fluid.

Within minutes, his condition spiraled. He went into respiratory failure, septic shock, hypovolemic shock, developed aspiration pneumonia, and suffered an acute kidney injury. He was immediately transferred to the ICU in critical condition.

Before being moved from the ICU to another floor, Jason experienced episodes of ventricular tachycardia (a dangerous heart rhythm) and continued coughing up blood. Despite this, he was discharged only a few hours later. Sadly, just three hours after returning home, his condition worsened drastically—he became hypoxic, spiked a 103.9° fever, and developed severe swelling in his upper extremities.

He was rushed back to the ER, where he was diagnosed with multifocal pneumonia (affecting multiple areas of the lungs), worsening respiratory failure, and heart failure. His oxygen needs escalated from 3L to 60L on high-flow support. As of now, Jason is in the cardiac intensive care step-down unit and doctors do not expect him to be discharged for at least another week.

This year has already been overwhelming for our family. I’ve faced multiple hospitalizations myself due to sepsis, surgery, and mini-strokes, which has left me low on PTO. Jason has exhausted all of his PTO caring for me and for his own week-long hospitalization, so far.

The last thing Jason should have to worry about while fighting for his life is our bills and expenses for this month. Any support you can provide—whether financial, prayers, or sharing this fundraiser—means the world to us.

Thank you for helping Jason focus on healing, the continued prayers, thoughts, and support.