Dean Whiteside Medical Costs

Dean first entered the hospital 6 weeks ago with a massive infection in his body, causing septic shock (organ failure). He was very near death, and doctors scrambled around with a variety of tests, trying to identify the source of the infection. The best that they could come up with was a blood infection and an infected heart valve, although they suspected more was at work.

They put him on two powerful IV antibiotics, and later increased it to three, to try to combat the infection. He was kept on the IV antibiotics for 6 weeks.

During these six weeks, Dean began experiencing acute heart failure, which caused fluid to build up in his tissues and lungs. Doctors found him non-responsive and needed to put him on a ventilator as his lungs were filling up with fluid. Without it, fluid would have replaced all of the air in his lungs...

A ventilator was replaced with oxygen, which he remains on and will have when he comes home. He only had a very low ejection fraction of about 15% (and had a five-way heart bypass when he was only 49), but he could get around slowly and in very short distances.

Now his heart isn’t strong enough to pump the blood and fluids around his body. He has lost the ability to stand and move about. He is in complete command of his faculties, however, and looks forward to being home once again.

He will be coming home tomorrow as a bed patient and to Hospice care, and the need for 2 people 24/7. The cost of round-the-clock care is astronomical.

If you can help with any of the hospital, medical tests, and home care bills through this GoFundMe, it would be much appreciated and would help Dean and Becky’s peace of mind greatly.

Any extra funds raised will be used to pay for Dean's funeral expenses, and to help Becky remain in their home. The home currently has a reverse mortgage on it, so if Dean passes Becky will be forced to move or buy the house from the bank.

We are not sure the full extent of the costs yet.

We thank you for your generosity.