Ori's Heart Surgery Recovery Fund

Hi, my name is Ori.

You may remember me from this fundraiser: https://www.gofundme.com/manage/help-ori-with-health-issues-and-stay-housed

TW: Details of medical negligence.

On May 24th, 2022, I had a double mastectomy. This double mastectomy was performed for a couple of reasons, one of them being to reduce my hereditary metastatic breast cancer risk to less than 5%.

After a successful operation with an incredible surgeon, I was taken into a recovery room at the ambulatory surgery center where I was admitted for the operation. I was alone in that room. A single nurse entered my room, did not read my chart or chose to ignore my chart, then injected my IV with a bolus (a small vile) of Dilaudid, which I am highly allergic to. This had been notated in my chart since 2014 when I had my first anaphylaxis reaction post-surgery. This was notated in my chart that day. I had verbally told no less than 20 separate medical professionals to take care of me that day. I also had on a red allergy armband.

After the injection, I immediately was thrown into anaphylaxis, my heart failed and I knew I was dying. I was injected with epinephrine but by this time it was too late, I descended into darkness. I was not only tachycardic but I also was thrust into atrial fibrillation (aka AFIB.) From there I was rushed to an ICU at a major NYC hospital.

I was in AFIB for two days, while it was decided if I would undergo cardioversion, a procedure to shock my heart back to a regular bpm. During that time, I was placed in a chair and took a nap.

When I awoke, I knew something was wrong. A stroke code was called and a couple hours later, after a CAT scan and an MRI, it was discovered that I had suffered not one, but two simultaneous strokes.

I was paralyzed on my dominant side. My speech was almost non-existent and as time went on it got worse. I was released to go home to recovery and rehab, after discovering there was no long-term recovery facility that could safely take me into care. I had visiting nurses assigned as well as a home health aid. The home health aid never showed up and the nurses were sporadic. With the help of friends, I was able to gather together some volunteers and some paid people to help care for me in recovery.

Needless to say, it has been a very long year in recovery and rehab. Although I am improving, I am permanently disabled. I have managed to regain my speech after a year and intense cognitive and speech therapy, however, I still struggle to verbalize or communicate effectively with auditory processing issues.

I am still in physical therapy twice a week in addition to trauma therapy twice a week to help relieve the compounded PTSD.

And, in terms of any malpractice lawsuit, the wheels of justice turn slowly. It can take 3+ years to settle any lawsuit like this, even though a medical board at the facility ruled the incident as medical negligence.

In terms of SSDI, that road is a 2-8 year or more battle with 79% of cases being turned down automatically.

I have been supporting myself through art, beadwork, and the generous help of friends and strangers. I have applied for grants to cover the costs of rent, because I must stay here in NYC to be able to get the medical care I need covered by the state, but many of those grants hrun ran out. I continue to apply for grants to cover any back rent I owe and, somehow, by the grace of my rental property owners I managed to stay housed. That being said, I am always a moment away from being houseless. In addition, when you have any sort of social services benefits you cannot have savings or assets and must keep a modest amount in your bank account.

The stress has been insurmountable. But I have managed it.

Then, on Tuesday, July 9th, 2023, I woke up with heart palpitations - something did not feel right again. I tested my heart rate and I was in AFIB again. I was rushed to a hospital by ambulance where I was admitted from the ER until they could manage the AFIB and get it to come down.

After being released, I went for a follow-up with my regular cardiologist. The news was not great.

I have permanent AFIB. And this will keep happening. My heart rate is unusually high and I have arrhythmia.

It was decided I would undergo a cardiac ablation, a surgical procedure on my heart to try to fix the AFIB and give me back not only some quality of life but also a longer life expectancy. This surgery has an 80% success rate. I am willing to take those chances.

SURGERY DATE: AUGUST 21ST, 2023

What is so nerve-wracking about all of this is I am 48, almost to be 49. My birth mother died at 49 just days after her birthday. My birth father died at 48 of a heart attack. Both of my younger siblings passed as well, my brother in 2013 and my sister in 2017. Both of them were under 40. My maternal grandfather died at 56. My family already does not have a long life expectancy.

Needless to say, this is a very stressful time.

This is where you all come in.

I need help to recover from this surgery without having to worry about rent, bills, hand householdincidentals, as well as Sammy, my very best furry friend and soon-to-be be service cat.

The total amount will be put towards rent for August and September as well as bills, Sammy's care, and a paid caregiver (because I have struggled with unpaid volunteers in the past abandoning me when it was crucial I had help) as well as a stay in a hotel for a couple of days because I live in a 4th-floor walkup and cannot climb stairs after the surgery due to the catheter being inserted in the femoral artery.

Thank you all who have supported me over the last year. This surgery is a chance at a prolonged life that is of greater quality and it is NECESSARY.