Duane LyLe's Heart Surgery Funds Needed
Donation protected
Duane, my son-in-law, was born with a congenital heart defect. He married my daughter, Jenny, 28 1/2 years ago. Jenny became seriously and chronically ill 6 months into their marriage. Duane had to have his first open-heart surgery 20 1/2 years ago. Duane and Jenny have lived with a greatly altered life style because of her health and the never ending mountain of medical expenses for both of them.
The vital reason for this GoFundMe request for Duane is that he has been seriously ill, he'll be off work for about 3 months and the medical bills are now insurmountable. So far, since 12/08/2019, Duane has spent 28 days in two different hospitals; been in ER 2 times; and Urgent Care 1 time. On 12/11/2019, the doctors told Jenny they were completely baffled at what was going on with Duane, there was nothing more they could do for him, and if he didn’t turn the corner soon, he may not make it. Thankfully, God answered our prayers allowing Duane to stay with us longer.
Duane has had an endless amount of very costly lab work and tests done including urine and blood cultures; x-rays; echocardiograms; transesophageal echocardiograms; heart catherization; CT scans of most of his body; MRIs; tests for flus; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Lyme Disease; Meningitis; Dengue Fever; numerous bacterial and viral infections, including MRSA; Hepatitis; Epstein-Barr Disease; Mononucleosis; Strep; Staph; Measles; Rheumatic Fever; Scarlet Fever; the list goes on and on.
Duane's diagnoses according to his infectious disease and primary care doctors, cardiologists, pulmonologists, and cardiac and thoracic surgeons are Staphylococcus aureus (a strain known as MSSA rather than MRSA, thank the Lord); one or more unidentifiable viral infections; sepsis; jaundice (Duane’s liver and other organs were shutting down); reactive arthritis (a/k/a Reiter’s Syndrome); septic pulmonic emboli; pleurisy; possibly mono and/or Epstein-Barr Disease; endocarditis; conjunctivitis; and a urinary tract infection (Staphylococcus aureus never seen in the urine). Duane was extremely ill.
Duane has had 8 or more different types of IV antibiotics; a one-time IV anti-viral; oral antibiotics; physical, occupational, speech and respiratory therapies; a blood transfusion for critically low hemoglobin; and an additional unit of blood during his open-heart surgery on 01/06/2020. Bacterial and viral infections attacked the weakest part of Duane's body which is his pulmonic cadaver valve he received in his first open-heart surgery in 1999. This valve had vegetation growing on it which was sloughing off tissue causing the septic pulmonic emboli in Duane’s lungs. Duane's doctors would have preferred to wait to do the open-heart surgery until his infections were gone but they risked the chance of the infections spreading to his other heart valves that way. According to the heart surgeon, Duane's first pulmonic cadaver valve was not just infected by the bacterial and viral infections, it was "destroyed" by them, so it was a good thing it was replaced. A biopsy of Duane's infected valve is being done to verify the infection type. The doctors also added a porcine patch to the bend of the pulmonic valve to reinforce it. Duane's new pulmonic valve will hopefully be good for 10-15 years. Then it will probably have to be repaired/replaced again.
Duane's aortic valve is enlarged but the doctors left it alone during this open-heart surgery to avoid spreading the infections to that area, since it isn't causing Duane problems right now, and isn't enlarged to the point where surgery is usually done. If Duane’s pulmonic valve hadn't been infected the surgeons would have sleeved the aortic valve without hesitation since Duane's heart was already open. The doctors don't know when Duane's aortic valve will need to be sleeved. The aortic sleeve wraps the valve with a very strong material to keep the valve from enlarging further and/or rupturing. Duane will continue to have the aortic valve monitored with the rest of his heart as he has done for most of his life.
Duane will need at least an additional 6 weeks more of IV antibiotics; on Thursday, 01/09/20, a pic line was put in Duane for the continuous IV antibiotics. Duane will come home with this pic line in; home health care on a regular basis will be needed to take care of the pic line. As of 01/12/20, Duane is still in ICU; hopefully, he will be transferred to a regular cardiac room in the next day or two and stay there until he's ready to come home. Since surgery, Duane had to have a nasogastric tube inserted because of ileus; has had numerous laxatives; diarrhea; vomiting; continued loss of appetite; weight loss and been in lots of pain. Duane will be resting and recouping at home another 6-8 more weeks from the date of surgery; no driving for 6 weeks.
The rapidly growing mountain of bills because of Duane's extremely serious illnesses and surgery have only added to Duane and Jenny's already bleak financial situation. On 12/06/2019, Duane started on his 60-day short-term disability but it's only at 60% of his regular salary. In addition to this huge cut in income, Duane must pay for all his employee benefit premiums (approximately $1,100 per month) until he’s back to work. Although the short-term disability has been approved, Duane and Jenny don’t know when they will see a check; Duane's 2019 high insurance deductible, co-pays and out-of-pocket expenses had to be met by him in December; and now his 2020 high insurance deductible, co-pays and out-of-pocket expenses have to be met. Once home, Duane will have home health care; rehab; numerous trips to Gainesville (almost a 2-hour drive one way) for follow-up doctor appointments; and additional lab work, testing, and medications along with other care that will continue the mounting bills. Duane and Jenny are very thankful for the 60% salary Duane will be able to get but it will fall vastly short of what they need to just make it each month not counting all these huge extra expenses. Duane’s first stay in the DeLand hospital for 5 days was over $45,000.00 just for the hospital’s bill; doctors, third-party bills, surgery, etc. aren't included in that amount. Duane came home for 6 days; spiked a fever; and was readmitted to the DeLand hospital for another 4 days for further testing, treatment, etc. Upon determining Duane required open-heart surgery, which the DeLand hospital wasn't equipped to handle, he was transported by ambulance to the University of Florida Teaching Hospital (a/k/a Shands Hospital) in Gainesville, FL, on 12/23/2019. He has been there since. Duane and Jenny have been told because of Florida laws Duane may have to be transported by ambulance back to the DeLand hospital and then released from there (in essence, Duane’s on loan to the UF hospital). Duane will go on long-term disability when the short-term disability runs out; amount and length of duration for the long-term disability is currently unknown.
Circumstances like these are very humbling on their own but as more and more reliance on others takes center stage the humbling experience becomes even greater. Donating to Duane's GoFundMe page would be appreciated more than words will be able to express.
Thank you so much for allowing me to bring this immediate, huge and urgent need to you.
The vital reason for this GoFundMe request for Duane is that he has been seriously ill, he'll be off work for about 3 months and the medical bills are now insurmountable. So far, since 12/08/2019, Duane has spent 28 days in two different hospitals; been in ER 2 times; and Urgent Care 1 time. On 12/11/2019, the doctors told Jenny they were completely baffled at what was going on with Duane, there was nothing more they could do for him, and if he didn’t turn the corner soon, he may not make it. Thankfully, God answered our prayers allowing Duane to stay with us longer.
Duane has had an endless amount of very costly lab work and tests done including urine and blood cultures; x-rays; echocardiograms; transesophageal echocardiograms; heart catherization; CT scans of most of his body; MRIs; tests for flus; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; Lyme Disease; Meningitis; Dengue Fever; numerous bacterial and viral infections, including MRSA; Hepatitis; Epstein-Barr Disease; Mononucleosis; Strep; Staph; Measles; Rheumatic Fever; Scarlet Fever; the list goes on and on.
Duane's diagnoses according to his infectious disease and primary care doctors, cardiologists, pulmonologists, and cardiac and thoracic surgeons are Staphylococcus aureus (a strain known as MSSA rather than MRSA, thank the Lord); one or more unidentifiable viral infections; sepsis; jaundice (Duane’s liver and other organs were shutting down); reactive arthritis (a/k/a Reiter’s Syndrome); septic pulmonic emboli; pleurisy; possibly mono and/or Epstein-Barr Disease; endocarditis; conjunctivitis; and a urinary tract infection (Staphylococcus aureus never seen in the urine). Duane was extremely ill.
Duane has had 8 or more different types of IV antibiotics; a one-time IV anti-viral; oral antibiotics; physical, occupational, speech and respiratory therapies; a blood transfusion for critically low hemoglobin; and an additional unit of blood during his open-heart surgery on 01/06/2020. Bacterial and viral infections attacked the weakest part of Duane's body which is his pulmonic cadaver valve he received in his first open-heart surgery in 1999. This valve had vegetation growing on it which was sloughing off tissue causing the septic pulmonic emboli in Duane’s lungs. Duane's doctors would have preferred to wait to do the open-heart surgery until his infections were gone but they risked the chance of the infections spreading to his other heart valves that way. According to the heart surgeon, Duane's first pulmonic cadaver valve was not just infected by the bacterial and viral infections, it was "destroyed" by them, so it was a good thing it was replaced. A biopsy of Duane's infected valve is being done to verify the infection type. The doctors also added a porcine patch to the bend of the pulmonic valve to reinforce it. Duane's new pulmonic valve will hopefully be good for 10-15 years. Then it will probably have to be repaired/replaced again.
Duane's aortic valve is enlarged but the doctors left it alone during this open-heart surgery to avoid spreading the infections to that area, since it isn't causing Duane problems right now, and isn't enlarged to the point where surgery is usually done. If Duane’s pulmonic valve hadn't been infected the surgeons would have sleeved the aortic valve without hesitation since Duane's heart was already open. The doctors don't know when Duane's aortic valve will need to be sleeved. The aortic sleeve wraps the valve with a very strong material to keep the valve from enlarging further and/or rupturing. Duane will continue to have the aortic valve monitored with the rest of his heart as he has done for most of his life.
Duane will need at least an additional 6 weeks more of IV antibiotics; on Thursday, 01/09/20, a pic line was put in Duane for the continuous IV antibiotics. Duane will come home with this pic line in; home health care on a regular basis will be needed to take care of the pic line. As of 01/12/20, Duane is still in ICU; hopefully, he will be transferred to a regular cardiac room in the next day or two and stay there until he's ready to come home. Since surgery, Duane had to have a nasogastric tube inserted because of ileus; has had numerous laxatives; diarrhea; vomiting; continued loss of appetite; weight loss and been in lots of pain. Duane will be resting and recouping at home another 6-8 more weeks from the date of surgery; no driving for 6 weeks.
The rapidly growing mountain of bills because of Duane's extremely serious illnesses and surgery have only added to Duane and Jenny's already bleak financial situation. On 12/06/2019, Duane started on his 60-day short-term disability but it's only at 60% of his regular salary. In addition to this huge cut in income, Duane must pay for all his employee benefit premiums (approximately $1,100 per month) until he’s back to work. Although the short-term disability has been approved, Duane and Jenny don’t know when they will see a check; Duane's 2019 high insurance deductible, co-pays and out-of-pocket expenses had to be met by him in December; and now his 2020 high insurance deductible, co-pays and out-of-pocket expenses have to be met. Once home, Duane will have home health care; rehab; numerous trips to Gainesville (almost a 2-hour drive one way) for follow-up doctor appointments; and additional lab work, testing, and medications along with other care that will continue the mounting bills. Duane and Jenny are very thankful for the 60% salary Duane will be able to get but it will fall vastly short of what they need to just make it each month not counting all these huge extra expenses. Duane’s first stay in the DeLand hospital for 5 days was over $45,000.00 just for the hospital’s bill; doctors, third-party bills, surgery, etc. aren't included in that amount. Duane came home for 6 days; spiked a fever; and was readmitted to the DeLand hospital for another 4 days for further testing, treatment, etc. Upon determining Duane required open-heart surgery, which the DeLand hospital wasn't equipped to handle, he was transported by ambulance to the University of Florida Teaching Hospital (a/k/a Shands Hospital) in Gainesville, FL, on 12/23/2019. He has been there since. Duane and Jenny have been told because of Florida laws Duane may have to be transported by ambulance back to the DeLand hospital and then released from there (in essence, Duane’s on loan to the UF hospital). Duane will go on long-term disability when the short-term disability runs out; amount and length of duration for the long-term disability is currently unknown.
Circumstances like these are very humbling on their own but as more and more reliance on others takes center stage the humbling experience becomes even greater. Donating to Duane's GoFundMe page would be appreciated more than words will be able to express.
Thank you so much for allowing me to bring this immediate, huge and urgent need to you.
Organizer
Denise Qualls
Organizer
North DeLand, FL