Help Heal Caleb's Big Heart

 

 

 

Hi there. Please give us a moment to share our story:

 

On the night of Sunday, February 20, our son and brother Caleb and his girlfriend Emma were relaxing at home on the couch, when out of nowhere, Caleb became unresponsive and began gasping for air.

 

Recognizing the emergency, Emma got him on the floor, called 911 and began performing CPR. The nine minutes she spent doing chest compressions saved his life. When the paramedics arrived they did two defribulations to restart his heart, then rushed him to the emergency room.

 

There, he was intubated and sedated while doctors determined what was happening. They concluded he had experienced a full cardiac arrest. Caleb is 34 with no previous health issues. He is an extremely healthy person who bikes dozens of miles a week, hikes and runs. He loves nature, and the outdoors are his second home. Caleb is known for his gentle nature and unwavering kindness. He loves music and is a gifted guitar player. When he can’t be with us on holidays, he and Emma call and play a song over the phone. (Their version of Neil Young’s “Comes a Time” is particularly memorable.) He is a talented professional chef who can make even a simple meal extraordinary. His sense of humor is legendary, and he’s made us all laugh until we’ve cried.

On Monday, his family -- mom Sara, father Brian, sisters Candace and Katie -- rushed to Portland from Wisconsin and Los Angeles. By the time they arrived, Caleb was in stable condition, and Emma -- whose quick action saved his life -- was there by his side. The ICU doctors commented that his strength and stability after such a severe attack was an actual miracle.

 

Over the next few days, Caleb underwent numerous tests to figure out why the cardiac arrest occurred. On Tuesday, February 22, he was transported to Providence St. Vincent Hospital in nearby Beaverton, as this facility has a cutting edge department for heart arrythmias.

 

 

While we his family had been unable to see him in the hospital due to covid restrictions, we were lucky to spot the ambulance transporting him. Caleb saw us through the ambulance window and waved, and we were all emotional in this moment of connection. We followed the ambulance to the new hospital, where the attendants allowed us to see and hug him. We were indeed grateful to be reunited, even for 30 seconds in the parking lot.

 

On February 24, Caleb had a procedure to insert an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) which he will have for the rest of his life and which will defribulate his heart should an arrest ever reoccur. Tests are indicating the cardiac arrest was caused by a genetic issue. Again, it is a miracle that he survived this arrest. Many people don't.

 

 

Right now, we're focused on Caleb's total recovery. He has health insurance, but we are still looking at many medical bills for various deductibles and co-pays. As you know, costs of emergency medicine can be astronomical.

 

Creating peace of mind for Caleb and Emma in the days ahead is a primary goal. We know one way to do so is by creating greater financial security during this time, particularly as Caleb will not be able to return to work for the foreseeable future.

 

Thus, our ask: We want to raise money to help cover Caleb's medical bills and living expenses while he heals.
Any and all contributions are deeply appreciated.

 

Thank you,

The family of Caleb Bain