Support Victor Juncaj’s life saving brain & heart surgery

On March 18 at 8:22 pm, I had to make a 911 call that would change our life forever. My husband, Victor Juncaj, thought he had a flu bug, with a dull headache and fever for a few days prior. Until the 18th, when he took a nap, and after checking in on him every 15 minutes, hydrating him, and monitoring his low-grade temp, he suddenly became unresponsive to any of my attempts to wake him or get any sign of consciousness besides breathing on his own. My 4-year-old daughter would not leave her father's side and could not understand how he couldn’t wake up to her cries. 911 could not wake him and immediately took him to the ER. After 4 hours of being unable to see him or speak to anyone regarding his situation, I was sent home. On my way almost out the door, an angel, a doctor from the ER, grabbed me and asked me what the last week was like for Victor. I mentioned he tripped on stairs, hitting his head while carrying too many groceries two weeks ago. I included the fevers, the headaches, the tiredness, and this doctor went back and did an emergency CT. All after 4 hours of them letting him sit there and wait without us seeing him or even a doctor seeing him this Dr finally went back and took me seriously. I was called back to the hospital and told he has a hemorrhagic stroke/aneurysm, a very, very large brain bleed on the back left side, and would be having life-saving brain surgery within the next 30 minutes. At 6 am, we finally got to see him in post-op. The doctors said he was the most critical patient in the hospital. It is now March 26, and Victor has awoken with a long, long, long road ahead of him. He was diagnosed with MRSA and will have to, when strong enough, undergo open-heart surgery to replace his left aortic valve, which has the infection on it. Victor had been undergoing intense dental work over the last year, and they believe an infection spread and caused a large vegetation on his left valve. My husband has a long fight ahead: another brain surgery, open-heart surgery, and intense rehabilitation. He was a provider, an amazing father, and the love of my whole life. I am struggling without him, and I am terrified but must remain strong for my daughter and for him. My days are spent split between providing normalcy and comfort for our child and spending the majority of my day at the hospital, taking shifts with family so he is surrounded by love and support. I will do whatever I have to do to keep my family from losing more and to provide for us as long as it takes. I thank everyone for the love, positivity, prayers, and messages. We are extremely humbled by each and every one. Victor and I have never asked anyone for help for anything in our lives, and we built a beautiful life that has changed forever overnight. I cannot be ashamed to ask for help during this nightmare. Thank you for your support. You’ve been there with me each day since the early hours of the 19th and continue to provide your prayers and love daily. We will overcome this, and I will be by his side until he’s back home with us. We thank and love you all.

Sincerely,

Danielle Juncaj