Help the Dominguez's while Ryan seeks treatment

UPDATE: Ryan was able to travel to Minnesota in January to have the TPAIT transplant surgery. Unfortunately, 3 hours into the 14+ hour surgery, the Dr had to abruptly stop because Ryan had lost all 5 liters of blood in his body and it was unsafe to continue. They were able to give him a transfusion to replace the lost blood volume but they were not able to continue or perform the transplant as planned. The Dr said that all of his organs have been fused together by scar tissue from the numerous amounts of flare ups and pancreatic attacks he has endured over the last 3 years. The biggest issue being his pancreas has attached itself to his aortic vein making it unsafe to remove the pancreas at all. The Dr also said that he has never seen the amount of scar tissue that Ryan has in one single patient.

He was placed on a breathing tube and put under sedation for the next few days. He went into the operating room again 2 days after to try to remove the stents in his pancreas & bile duct. They said that, again, there was too much scar tissue to safely complete the operation. The breathing tube was removed after surgery and Ryan was placed back in the ICU. The following day, the fluid from his drains was tested and it was found that he was at high risk for sepsis so they took him back into the OR for a 3rd surgery. Additional drains were added and he, once again, was sent into the ICU. Because of financial obligations & the children's needs, Heather had to leave MInnesota and go back home while Ryan stayed in the hospital fighting for his life.

Ryan now has several drains from his organs (pancreas, liver, stomach & lung) along with a feeding tube in his stomach. This is going to be a long recovery for him with the hopes that in a year from now, the surgeon will be able to attempt the transplant surgery again, which he so desperately needs. He will be in Minnesota for the next couple months while in recovery. All of this comes at an additional financial burden for himself and his family. Heather is still working and holding down the household here in Nevada, while trying to remain financially responsible for what is now 2 separate households; their home in Nevada in addition to the apartment in Minnesota. There are several newly anticipated costs for this family that have been placed on them as of January 1 due to their health insurance yearly deductibles and out of pocket costs for care starting over again. Ryan is unable to come home to Nevada until he is healthy enough to survive without the continuous care he is being provided by the University of Minnesota medical team.

If you are able to help, please consider donating to this family as they are struggling emotionally and financially to keep their lives on track while having to face the reality that is Ryan's severe ongoing health issues. Anything is appreciated and as always, please send prayers and positivity their way.

ORIGINAL: Hi, my name is Lindsey, and I’m starting this GoFundMe to help my long time best friend Heather and her family Ryan, Sophia, Cadynce, and Kasyn, who I consider like family to me, get through a difficult time.

As most of you know, Ryan was diagnosed with severe Chronic Pancreatitis in April of 2021. While navigating through this difficult diagnosis, Ryan’s team of doctors has called this one of the most complicated cases they have ever seen. Ryan has been admitted over 100 times to the hospitals here in Las Vegas, in addition to the several times he’s had to travel to California, where he’s spent approximately 4 months at Cedars Sinai, in Los Angeles. Through this unexpected journey, he has also spoken with the top specialists from UCLA and Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, desperately searching for remedies to no avail. This has been extremely hard on Ryan and his family, leaving them with more questions and little answers. The doctors in California have discussed the whipple surgery, complete pancreas removing, and are now communicating with the University of Minnesota to discuss a possible pancreas transplant (TPAIT).

Unfortunately, Ryan was recently told he had had fluid in his lungs and was admitted to Henderson Hospital. While there, they discovered he has developed a blood clot in his lungs for the second time. In addition, The Las Vegas doctors say his white blood cells are dangerously low and he will now be having a bone marrow biopsy to determine if he may have Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma.

Whichever surgical route the doctors choose, Ryan will not be able to work again for at least another year, if not longer. Two years of relying on personal savings and additional financial help from family when possible, all of their funds been depleted. While Heather has stayed as strong as possible trying to keep the family going, she works full-time (overtime whenever available), her income does not cover their existing household expenses, let alone the unexpected medical costs and new medications that may arise at any given time.

This GoFundMe is strictly to help subsidize Ryan's income, and help with their day to day expenses and medical bills, all while trying to keep their children’s lives as normal as possible. Heather is overwhelmed with the task of trying not disrupt the children’s lives any more than the constant emotional distress of Ryan’s health has caused. If you are able, please donate what you can to help relieve some of the financial weight placed on this family while they continue fight to help Ryan beat this disease, to heal, and allow Heather and kids a small amount of normalcy during this difficult time. Thank you so much for you support!