Heart & Lung Transplant
Donation protected
I am writing this letter about my friend Brittany Beal, who was born with a congenital heart problem which required surgery within a few hours of her birth. At the age of four she had to have open-heart surgery, which was successful and gratefully she grew up doing the same activities as other kids.
Everything seemed fine until a few years ago when she started experiencing atrial flutter and fibrillation, which causes the heart to beat rapidly, erratically, basically of out of rhythm. In November 2017, Brittany underwent an ablation procedure that was to help eliminate the irregular heartbeats and to return her heart rate to a normal rhythm.
Following the procedure, Brittany experienced difficulty breathing, extreme fatigue, coughing, and more acute erratic and irregular heartbeats. Finally, in April 2018, it was confirmed that Brittany had suffered a complications that were not diagnosed by her physicians, despite being admitted and released from the hospital 5 times in less than 5 months. It was after her 5th hospitalization for pneumonia, that a blockage of the pulmonary vein was discovered.
The physicians determined that the ablation procedure (November 2017) caused scarring in the pulmonary vein, which caused a blockage which prevented blood flow from her lung and heart.
As the months passed without an accurate diagnosis, Brittany became weaker, and continued to endure more debilitating symptoms as a result of the blockage. Due to the incapacitating effects of the blockage and subsequent damage, she has been unable to work since January 2018.
Since receiving the diagnosis in April, Brittany has had to under-go many tests and several attempts to open the blockage in the pulmonary vein. Unfortunately, the prolonged undiagnosed blockage has caused irreparable damage to the pulmonary vein, left lung and heart.
The blockage not only damaged her lung, it also damaged her already compromised heart. At this point, Brittany’s heart has less than 30% function, as the blockage prevented heathy blood flow to the lung and heart. As a result this caused her heart to work harder.
In July 2018, Brittany was told that she must have a heart and lung transplant. On August 1, 2018 she was told that the left lung is completely deflated.
Stanford University Medical Center in Stanford, California is one of the only hospitals that can perform heart - lung transplant. Brittany and her mom, Kim will be required to move to Stanford, California once she is on the transplant list. Brittany is only 32 years old and just celebrated her birthday on August 5th.
August 28, 2018 Brittany was notified that she has been accepted by Stanford hospital as a heart lung recipient.
I ask for your help in two ways: You can help by donating money, and in prayer.
Brittany and her Mom will need help with living expenses while they live in California awaiting a transplant and afterwards while Brittany recovers. Although Brittany has insurance, there will be many out of pocket expenses for deductibles and medications that will be lifelong.
A transplant for Brittany will mean a chance for a new life, but it will also mean an end to another life. This will be a difficult time for many people. I ask for your prayers of comfort for families who lose a loved one.
Please pray for these families whose loved ones donate life-saving organs and pray for a perfect match for Brittany, as quickly as possible. Please keep Britany, Kim and her family in your prayers as well.
Thanks you in advance for your help!
Helen
Organizer
Helen Wall Reddish
Organizer
Colorado, CO
