Philip (Flip) Carkido is my husband. He is a step-father to 6, a grandfather to 9, a son, a brother and a friend. He is my best friend, the love of my life and occasionally the reason I just shake my head in wonder but I can’t be without him.
Flip has Chronic Systolic Congestive Heart Failure and Acute decompensated heart failure. His ejection rate has dropped to 27.7% and at 20% he meets the first of many criteria for heart transplant. My goal is to make sure we do everything to keep him alive. He is currently wearing a “life vest” that detects interruptions or complete heart failure and has a built-in defibrillation that will hopefully shock him back into a normal sinus rhythm. He has undergone aortic valve replacement, MAZE, Ablation, Aortic root aneurysm removal bypass and many stents. At the 3 month point they will administer another ECG for placement of a defibrillator pacemaker and remove the use of the life vest. He will however remain on the device to determine CHF changes. He is a fighter and he will continue to fight.
We are now at the cardiac rehab stage, that is 3 appointments a week for 6 weeks. Flip cannot drive himself due to the increased risk of sudden cardiac death so I have to take him.
They will run another ECG in December to see about placement of a defibrillating pacemaker to take the place of the life vest and that will result in another hospital stay with even more aide hours needed.
I also have my 78 year old, Stage 4 Parkinson’s with Stage 6 Dementia Mom who is in home hospice and I am her caregiver. Unfortunately, I have run out of aides (they only permit so many hours coverage) and for any of Flip’s future appointments/tests/ procedures I will have to pay out of pocket for coverage as Mom cannot be left alone.
We have also discovered although Flip receives SS and medicare, not all meds are covered (there is an $8,000 out of pocket expense for two so far) as well as procedures co-pays and medical equipment that is necessary to try to sustain his life.
Between aides, co-pays, deductibles, gas and prescriptions that aren’t being covered it’s becoming more difficult.
Many that know me know that I hate to ask for help. I have to ask now. I am unable to go to work. If you can help, please, for my husband’s sake, for his life, please do. If you can’t, I do not fault you, economically things are rough, harder than many have ever faced in life. I understand. All I ask is that you share this and pray for him. He is my life, my world.
To all those who have shared, reached out in friendship and prayer and those who have been so kind as to donate, THANK YOU!!