Support the Cunninghams: Mike's Heart Recovery

Hello friends and family! My name is Carrie Andersen and I am starting this go fund me for my dear friends the Cunninghams! Let me share with you why ♥️

This past weekend, Mike went to the Doctor because he was having some heart issues. The Doctor sent him to the ER because he was experiencing heart failure! Andrea, his wife updated me on his situation. Here are her words:

We had a scary and eventful weekend with this cute guy here. There are a lot of people that are asking for updates, and it's too exhausting to try and respond to every message. So if you've been wanting to know what's going on, buckle up for a long story...

Mike went to the doctor on Friday, and after listening to his concerns, the doctor ordered an EKG, a chest xray, and a lot of blood-work. We left the appointment knowing that there was something called a left bundle branch block in his heart, and had referrals to follow- up with a cardiologist, but overall, he was feeling okay.

Then, around 6:30, Mike got a call from the doctor saying that the labs came back with elevated troponin levels (a protein that the heart releases when it has suffered trauma), and that he could be having a heart attack and not even know. We rushed to the ER, and they quickly began more imaging and blood- work, and then decided to admit him.

Saturday morning, he had an echocardiogram and a stress test. The doctor came in a few hours later to give us the bad news. His heart was not fully expanding to fill with blood returning to the heart, and on the other side of his heart, it was only functioning at 19% to get blood back out to his body. All the things that usually cause this problem (high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, drinking, etc) are not factors for Mike into why his heart is in this condition now.

Sunday morning he had an angiogram to check for blockages in the arteries. Thankfully, there were none, but again, that leaves us wondering why. This afternoon we finally got the all- clear to head home.

We have a treatment plan for the next 3-6 months, and then we'll see if his heart has been strengthened by the medications and an external defibrillator that he will wear day and night, only taking it off to shower. If that hasn't done the trick, then we will move forward with the possibility of having a defibrillator implanted to keep his heart going at a normal rhythm.

It is A LOT to process. We are doing okay, although completely exhausted. I can't begin to express the love and gratitude we feel for everyone who has stepped up to keep life running for our kids at home, and all the prayers, check- ins, and countless inquiries of how we can be supported from family and dear friends. Every single person that helped us at the hospital was absolutely incredible. If I could give each and every one of them 10 star reviews, I would. I know that there was a lot of heavenly influence on who was put in our path for this ordeal….

Andrea

♥️ so I am reaching out now to our friends and family for help to support this little family while they navigate this next phase of life! The medicines and defibrillator vest alone will pile them in medical debt! Please offer what you can! Any donation is appreciated! We love you Mike and we need you around longer! -Carrie ♥️