Support Mark Pollard's Heart Surgery Recovery

Hey Hey. You probably know that my name is Mark Pollard. What you might not know is that I have struggled with heart complications my whole life. It has been extra pressing these last 2 years due to a series of issues. I am having my 3rd open heart surgery of my life on April 7, 2025. Details below.

The Heart Story:

Let's start back at the beginning of this heart journey, at 12 days old, I had my first heart surgery. They had to graft some arteries in my legs and remove my left artery, I was also born with a significant heart murmur and a couple other defects in size and valves. Everything was going fine until I got to 13 years old, when I started to feel weak and out of breath all the time. My cardiologist had discovered that my valves had started to either stop working or were barely functioning. I had emergency surgery to fix those and had a complication from the surgery in which I developed several blood clots throughout my body.

A time skip to 35 and my heart was maintaining well from the last surgery until now. I was going through a rough patch after a car wreck and other life issues. I was seeing a chiropractor for the issues with the car wreck when I had an MRI done and they accidently discovered I had an aortic aneurysm about 4.4 cm. Due to my birth defect with my bi-cuspid valve, this had occurred. However, they couldn’t operate until it reached 5 cm.

I kept it monitored and medicated for almost 2 years. Then, a few weeks ago, it was discovered it has gotten slightly bigger. It was also discovered that my aortic valve itself was now failing, due to the birth defect and the pressure the aneurysm was given to the system. My heart is leaking blood everytime it beats and all this is affecting the very heart muscle itself causing irregular heart beats.

Now that you know what’s wrong with my heart, Here’s the how the wonderful team at Erlanger Hospital and the Cardiology team here in Chattanooga are going to fix me. I am getting 2 heart surgeries at the same time. Who doesn't love a twofer? They are going to cut out the aneurysm and replace it with a synthetic graft on my aortic artery. They are also going to replace my aortic valve with a mechanical one. I will have to take an anti coagulation everyday for the rest of my life. Small price to pay for life. Plus I already take other heart meds. I’m becoming a cyborg. Haha That’s how i’m spinning a positive light on a scary situation,

Recovery and Its Challenges:

The recovery process after open-heart surgery is extensive and requires significant lifestyle adjustments.

Typically, patients can expect:

Hospital Stay: A stay of up to 7 days post-surgery for initial recovery.

Physical Restrictions: Upon returning home, there are crucial guidelines to ensure proper healing:

Lifting Limitations: Avoid lifting anything over 5 pounds or 5 lbs of pressure for approximately six weeks to allow the breastbone and chest muscles to heal properly. I learned a fridge door is more than 5 lbs of pressure. I also learned that a flat head screwdriver and my hip bone can open my fridge.

Driving Restrictions: Refrain from driving for at least four weeks, as weakness, fatigue, 5 lbs of pressure restriction and medications may impair reaction times, increasing the risk of accidents.

Personal: I can’t get the scar wet for almost 5 weeks. So no showers or dancing in the rain. I also have to sleep on my back for 2-3 months and I toss and turn. I’ll be sleeping in my recliner for that time.

Activity Resumption: Gradual reintroduction to daily activities is essential. Many patients begin with light activities and slowly progress as their strength returns, typically over a six to eight-week period. I have to do some physical therapy for my core strength to build up as well as some breathing exercises for my lungs to build back up their strength as well. The heaviest restrictions are the first 3 to 4 months after surgery.

Impact on My Business & Life:

You may know I started a resale business flipping the contents of storage units back in the summer of 2024. It is doing great. I’ve been finding all kinds of cool stuff. My Ebay store & my booth at the vintage mall are turning profits. Obviously, not making me a millionaire, hence the GoFundMe. However, it has allowed me enough income to live life on my own terms and schedule. I am even able to help a few friends with their businesses as a side gig. Growing up with this heart condition, I have always had this looming fear of my heart just failing me one day. Although, I never really let this stop me. Any of my friends can tell you, I am always down for an adventure. It is sort of why I left corporate America to start my own business. I wanted to be free to live life. I didn't want to go to an office everyday and miss out. Probably was a bit rash and rushed but hey it all worked out. I have the freedom to live life and help my friends grow their businesses and really create a sense of community.

As a small business owner, these recovery restrictions mean I will be unable to operate my business during this period. The inability to lift items, drive to source products, or manage daily operations will result in a temporary loss of income, adding financial strain to the existing medical expenses. It is essentially a pause in my life. I can’t operate my own business on any level. My booth will be overstocked before surgery, but i won't be able to straighten it up or roll out new items. My ebay store will be paused for 30 days for me to get through the first hard month of recovery. It may have to be paused longer. It also means that I can't make extra money by lending out my skills and knowledge to others.

Why I Need Your Help: I am aiming to raise $12,000 to cover:

Medical Expenses: Costs not covered by insurance, including co-pays, medications, and potential rehabilitation services.

Living Expenses: Essential bills such as rent, utilities, and groceries during my recovery period when I am unable to work.

How You Can Help:

Donate: Any contribution, no matter the size, will significantly impact my ability to focus on recovery without the added stress of financial burdens.

Share: Please share my story within your networks to help spread the word and reach a broader audience.

Support: Positive thoughts, prayers, and words of encouragement are deeply appreciated during this challenging time.

In Person: Hang out with me while I recover.

Thank You: I am profoundly grateful for any assistance you can provide. Your kindness and generosity will not only alleviate financial stress but also serve as a powerful reminder that I am not facing this journey alone. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. See what I did there?

P.S. I also will be providing updates when I can on social media & on here.