Journey to a new Heart!

Thanksgiving day, 2012 originally seemed like a normal Thanksgiving for the Simpson family. We hosted dinner at my parents home, and had a few relatives in from our hometown of Clinton, SC. Although my dad seemed pretty quiet that day, I never would've imagined the call I'd get later in the middle of the night. My dad went to the hospital that evening due to some chest pain and tightness and we later learned that he had experienced a heart attack. During that hospital stay, we were informed that my father had an ejection fraction rate of 25% vs that of a normal person, which is about 50%-60%. This would lead to years of care and occasional hospital stays related to heart failure. Being the man that he is, my dad has maintained his medical regiment religiously and placed his faith in God without even the slightest complaint. Much like the rest of the world, this year has been especially challenging for him. He’s had three trips to the ER, with one trip in particular resulting in having his gall bladder removed. Even after the loss of my grandmother on May 28th, he has remained the same amazing husband, father, and "papu" to all of us. Never skipping a beat.


On June 29th, he spent much of the day in bed, and later decided it best that he go to the hospital due to shortness of breath. He thought, that as with many other times, he needed some fluid removed from his lungs and he would be sent home to follow up with his cardiologist. He checked in to Trident Medical Center, only to later be transported to Medical University of SC's CICU (Cardiac Intensive Care Unit) where he remains today. After many tests, we were informed that my dad’s ejection rate was less than 20% and his heart was very sick. The cardiologist and surgeons initially felt that an LVAD(Heart pump) was the best course of action and would visit a heart transplant in six months. For those of you with a relationship with God, you can understand that HE has the final say! We received the news on Thursday that the committee of cardiologist and surgeons had agreed to list him for a heart transplant instead of the LVAD, which means that not only will he only have to endure one open heart surgery instead of two, but he will be receiving a new and improved heart!


As you can imagine, this has been a true roller coaster ride for us all, but my mom has stood by my dad from day one, spending countless hours in the CICU room with him. As much as this is a true blessing for my family, this also presents a bit of financial strain for my parents. My mom will need to take 4-6 weeks of unpaid leave to care for my dad, and there will be various medical bills associated with his hospital stay and the transplant. As a family, we take pride in handling things on our own, however, we are asking for the help of our extended family and friends to bridge the financial gap that this life changing surgery will bring. No amount is too small, and if you do not feel led to give, we ask that you please share this information with others, and/or stand with us in prayer. 


#TeamSimpson would like to thank you in advance for any and all help you are able to offer!