Helping To Heal A "Broken" Heart
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Hi! My name is Maria and I'm a single mom of 4 (3 live at home still) who just had her feet swept out from under her by a medical emergency.
On 5/4/2018 I woke up and couldn't breathe. Since I have asthma I thought I was just having an asthma attack and took my medicine. When that didn't help and I kept getting worse, I called 911. My local ED (Emergency Department) had me transferred to the ICU in St. Francis Hospital in Peoria. Since the original plan was to transfer me to a more local hospital, when the plan changed to a hospital with an open bed in the ICU? I knew something was up.
An echo-cardiogram showed some rather severe damage to my heart - one of the left chambers barely functions at all and there are 2 pretty severe blockages. The official diagnosis? Congestive heart failure after a prior heart attack. I didn't even know I'd HAD a heart attack!
An angiogram and cardiac MRI later: surgery to clear the blockages is ruled out for the time being, it MIGHT be an option further down the road. I was finally discharged to home - I have to wear a device called Life Vest for the next 3 months (it's an external defibrillator that will shock my heart into beating if it stops) and will be on medications for my heart for the rest of my life, of course.
So why isn't this in medical? Because the medical part of this adventure is mainly covered. My insurance will be paying the hospital and doctor bills and covering any future charges. BUT: it cost me over $1300 just to get to be able to come home. They wouldn't discharge me until I had the Life Vest and there was a $1000 deposit for that - then meds cost $350 for a 3 month supply.
As someone who usually can't even afford to pay attention, this took a big toll on my finances. I would really like to be able to replace that money so I don't have to worry about the basics while my heart is healing. I'm not allowed to work for the time being so I need to apply for assistance but that will take a bit of time, if I'm even approved.
So, if you can help out? That would be beyond awesome. If you can't? No problem but maybe you could help spread the word?
Thank You for Reading,
Maria
On 5/4/2018 I woke up and couldn't breathe. Since I have asthma I thought I was just having an asthma attack and took my medicine. When that didn't help and I kept getting worse, I called 911. My local ED (Emergency Department) had me transferred to the ICU in St. Francis Hospital in Peoria. Since the original plan was to transfer me to a more local hospital, when the plan changed to a hospital with an open bed in the ICU? I knew something was up.
An echo-cardiogram showed some rather severe damage to my heart - one of the left chambers barely functions at all and there are 2 pretty severe blockages. The official diagnosis? Congestive heart failure after a prior heart attack. I didn't even know I'd HAD a heart attack!
An angiogram and cardiac MRI later: surgery to clear the blockages is ruled out for the time being, it MIGHT be an option further down the road. I was finally discharged to home - I have to wear a device called Life Vest for the next 3 months (it's an external defibrillator that will shock my heart into beating if it stops) and will be on medications for my heart for the rest of my life, of course.
So why isn't this in medical? Because the medical part of this adventure is mainly covered. My insurance will be paying the hospital and doctor bills and covering any future charges. BUT: it cost me over $1300 just to get to be able to come home. They wouldn't discharge me until I had the Life Vest and there was a $1000 deposit for that - then meds cost $350 for a 3 month supply.
As someone who usually can't even afford to pay attention, this took a big toll on my finances. I would really like to be able to replace that money so I don't have to worry about the basics while my heart is healing. I'm not allowed to work for the time being so I need to apply for assistance but that will take a bit of time, if I'm even approved.
So, if you can help out? That would be beyond awesome. If you can't? No problem but maybe you could help spread the word?
Thank You for Reading,
Maria
Organisateur
Maria Gagliardo Parsons
Organisateur
Streator, IL
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