Help my Mom get a new Liver

Hi, my name is Allison and my family truly needs your help. My family Lyle (Dad), Sherry (Mom), Me, and Bailey (our black lab) have lived in New Berlin, Wisconsin for over 20 years. Everything in the household was normal until the end of this summer 2021.

 

My Mom, Sherry, was diagnosed with Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Disease which progressed rapidly to stage 4 cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is commonly thought of as alcohol induced; but this was a genetic disease unknown to her that made its unwelcome debut in September with unpleasant symptoms. Fluid retention in her legs and abdomen progressed, and made it difficult to walk and even work full time. Since the diagnosis in September, we have undergone two hospital admissions, and we are currently in the Transplant Intensive Care Unit (TICU) with liver and now kidney failure. We are waiting for a liver transplant at this time.

 

My Mom was just started on medications to keep her blood pressure up, and just today started on continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), essentially dialysis to filter out toxins within her body to act like artificial kidneys— until her body can start working on it’s own again. She has undergone all of the pre-transplant procedures (echocardiogram, cardiac stress test, pulmonary function test, x-rays, extensive labs, etc.). However, as we learned from the pre-transplant coordination meetings, transplants are unfortunately expensive. Currently, the average price of medications alone monthly after transplant is around $10,000. At this time that does not even contribute to the abundance of medical bills that are already coming in.

 

My Dad continues to work full time, and I have been taking some FMLA to be with her in the hospital to help my family understand all that is going on with her at this time. We would be eternally grateful for any contribution to help us alleviate the worry of making ends meet with the medical bills that are coming in at this time.