Only Separated by Miles not Hearts - Aid for Ed

Let me start by saying my connection with Ed & Janet goes back over 25 years now. We met online through Yahoo JT's Blocks & that connection has spanned 1,233 miles ever since! We have watched our children grow into amazing young adults, and seen good times & bad times together. So that connection brings me here today. Tough times. I'm here to share a story about Ed as written by his daughter Heather in hopes to bring some love to this family right now. With so many miles that separate us - I wanted to help do something so here's the story. If you can't donate - PLEASE share. I know the power of prayer as well, so pray!

Cliff Edward (Ed) Bennett was diagnosed with End Stage 4 Non-Alcoholic Cirrhosis of the Liver in June of 2022. Ed has been physically disabled and out of work since the early 90s but was relatively “healthy” up until the last 3-4 years. In the week leading up to Sunday, May 14th, 2022 Ed was presenting some symptoms, but at the time we were unsure if he had a stomach virus on top of his diabetes that was trying to be managed at the time. On Sunday, May 14th, Ed woke up with a severe Hepatic Encephalopathy episode. Hepatic Encephalopathy occurs when there is a loss of brain function when a damaged liver doesn't remove toxins from the blood. Ed had no memory of who he or his family was for almost three days after being transferred from the local hospital in Homerville, GA to Valdosta, GA. He was originally diagnosed with a Fatty Liver and was given medicine in the hospital and a prescription for the home to help bring down the Ammonia levels in the blood. After following up with his Primary Cary Physician at the end of the following week his labs were still irregular and he was sent back to SGMC in Valdosta for further testing where he was ultimately diagnosed with Cirrhosis of the Liver which was confirmed by his now GI specialist in Valdosta. During the months since his diagnosis, he has progressively gotten worse and was hospitalized a second time in January of 2023 for a second episode of Hepatic Encephalopathy. During his second hospitalization, he also required four blood transfusions due to his hemoglobin being dangerously low because of a GI bleed. Since being released from the hospital he was referred to a Hepatologist at UF Shands Health Hospital in Gainesville, Florida to meet about further treatment and what his options are. He and his family were told that the damage to his Liver shows signs of having been diseased for possibly decades now and only just started presenting symptoms within the last year. His Liver is now considered to be in the “Decompensated” state and due to symptoms and the damage he was given a 1 and 1/2-2 years chance of survival without a full Liver transplant. We currently already approaching the one-year mark since his symptoms started presenting themselves. Ed has been approved for the Liver transplant Evaluation and will begin undergoing testing to see if he qualifies to be put on the transplant list in April of 2023. He and his family rely on outside help from friends and family with travel due to appointments being nearly 2 and 1/2 hours away and currently not having a reliable vehicle. His wife Janet (who is also disabled) and his daughter (Heather) are his primary caregivers at this time as his son (Zackary) helps a majority with his father (Cliff) who also lives in the home. Any help would go towards groceries, medications, medical bills, transportation, and having somewhere to stay during these long stretches of doctor appointments and for the transplant itself if he is approved to be put on the list. Since he has been approved for the Liver transplant he and his family will be staying in Gainesville the week of April 17th through the 20th for the evaluation process and testing. If everything is cleared and he is healthy enough to undergo the transplant we (his family) will be notified and he will be listed for a full Liver Transplant. If you aren’t able to donate financially our family would greatly appreciate any thoughts or prayers during this difficult time in our lives.