Ashley’s Open Heart Surgery
Donation protected
Hello,
We have learned that my sister Ashley will need an open heart surgery to repair her aorta. She was recently diagnosed halfway through her pregnancy with a genetic connective tissue disorder called Marfans Syndrome. This condition can specifically cause life threatening complications of the aorta which is the main artery in the body. Unfortunately this is the complication that Ashley is experiencing.
She navigated a very scary situation with her pregnancy, undergoing numerous echocardiograms, CT scans, and a few scary trips to the ER. In her surgeons most recent words “she thankfully survived the pregnancy.” She didn’t escape it without complications. The connective tissue disorder caused her to hemorrhage and required three blood transfusions which unfortunately dilated her heart. She spent part of her stay in the ICU where she was constantly monitored through echocardiograms. Thankfully her aorta remained at a 4.3 and she survived the delivering of her baby.
To put this all into perspective the average aorta is a 2 and is usually repaired near 4.5. Hers is at a 4.3.
Ashley is a single mom of two with very little support. We are trying to figure out a way that she can stay home until her aorta is fully repaired and she is recovered. Recovery after the surgery is 5 + months. In her surgeons words: “unfortunately she will have to try and live as normal of a life as possible until her aorta is repaired” as it’s very difficult to get assistance for Marfans syndrome until the actual surgery. This to me is unacceptable.
As many of you know our father passed away of a sudden aorta dissection while he was grocery shopping. She has to navigate work and two children during the hardest part of the year for illness, where stress levels will be heightened putting a 2 month old baby into daycare. I feel the importance right now is to keep her stress levels as low as possible because of the state of her aorta.
We do not know what people are struggling with in life and Ashley has always navigated her way on her own through many of her own struggles privately. But this situation is proving to be very difficult.
We believe that her daughter Harvey is a Godsend and not only has saved Ashley’s life but also many others in our family who are also being diagnosed. If it wasn’t for this pregnancy she may have never been diagnosed with this rare condition.
I am organizing a go fund me for her to help her until she is able to have this life saving surgery.
If you cannot donate please share this link and add her to your prayer chain. She is already in many prayer chains locally but more prayers can always help in a situation like this.
Thank you all for your time in reading and sharing her story.
We have learned that my sister Ashley will need an open heart surgery to repair her aorta. She was recently diagnosed halfway through her pregnancy with a genetic connective tissue disorder called Marfans Syndrome. This condition can specifically cause life threatening complications of the aorta which is the main artery in the body. Unfortunately this is the complication that Ashley is experiencing.
She navigated a very scary situation with her pregnancy, undergoing numerous echocardiograms, CT scans, and a few scary trips to the ER. In her surgeons most recent words “she thankfully survived the pregnancy.” She didn’t escape it without complications. The connective tissue disorder caused her to hemorrhage and required three blood transfusions which unfortunately dilated her heart. She spent part of her stay in the ICU where she was constantly monitored through echocardiograms. Thankfully her aorta remained at a 4.3 and she survived the delivering of her baby.
To put this all into perspective the average aorta is a 2 and is usually repaired near 4.5. Hers is at a 4.3.
Ashley is a single mom of two with very little support. We are trying to figure out a way that she can stay home until her aorta is fully repaired and she is recovered. Recovery after the surgery is 5 + months. In her surgeons words: “unfortunately she will have to try and live as normal of a life as possible until her aorta is repaired” as it’s very difficult to get assistance for Marfans syndrome until the actual surgery. This to me is unacceptable.
As many of you know our father passed away of a sudden aorta dissection while he was grocery shopping. She has to navigate work and two children during the hardest part of the year for illness, where stress levels will be heightened putting a 2 month old baby into daycare. I feel the importance right now is to keep her stress levels as low as possible because of the state of her aorta.
We do not know what people are struggling with in life and Ashley has always navigated her way on her own through many of her own struggles privately. But this situation is proving to be very difficult.
We believe that her daughter Harvey is a Godsend and not only has saved Ashley’s life but also many others in our family who are also being diagnosed. If it wasn’t for this pregnancy she may have never been diagnosed with this rare condition.
I am organizing a go fund me for her to help her until she is able to have this life saving surgery.
If you cannot donate please share this link and add her to your prayer chain. She is already in many prayer chains locally but more prayers can always help in a situation like this.
Thank you all for your time in reading and sharing her story.
Organizer and beneficiary
Whitney Goetsch
Organizer
Watertown, SD
Ashley Veen
Beneficiary