Albert Dutra Sr.

Denair, CA

Southwest Transplant Fund

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In honor of Albert Dutra Sr.

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2 Radnor Corporate Center
Suite 100
100 Matsonford Road
Radnor, PA 19087

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UPDATE

We are pleased to share our news that Albert received his Gift of Life – his heart and kidney transplant – on Friday, April 26th! Thank you all for your support of our continued need to fundraise. See bottom of page for updates.

~ Albert Jr. and Family

*****UPDATE*****

Dear Family and Friends,

We are writing to thank you for your continued prayers and support for our dad, Albert Dutra, Sr. as he continues to face many health battles. In 2007, Dad began to experience increased difficulty catching his breath resulting in multiple hospitalizations. A surgically implanted pacemaker regulated his heart for almost three years but by September of 2012, we all felt he was again showing signs of low energy and difficulty with day to day chores and conversation. After months of testing, doctors diagnosed him with congestive heart failure and it was decided that he would need a new heart. An LVAD now mechanically keeps his heart pumping as he awaits a heart and kidney transplant, his only chance for survival.

Dad is an outgoing, enthusiastic man who loves his family and friends, and his ’65 Chevelle. Taking road trips and showing his car are two of his most favorite pastimes. Dad is also a fighter! Battling illness is not new to Dad. In 1997 he was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, went into remission after chemotherapy only for the disease to return in 1999. But he soldiered on and after a bone marrow transplant and months of chemotherapy he was cured! We were so happy to celebrate his 12 year remission this August 2012.

Dad has been disabled and unable to work since 2007. The lack of his income has been difficult for our parents. Since his treatment began, our mom stopped working to be caregiver to dad. She has had to rent an apartment in Palo Alto to be near him, and the cost of keeping a home in two places without sufficient income is proving to be a challenge we cannot face alone. The cost of the transplant surgery itself is staggering. The cost of survival is even more expensive. Post-transplant medications alone will be close to $3,000 a month initially, and will remain costly for the rest of our dad’s life. Our family is in need of your help!

Due to the astronomical expenses associated with transplantation, a fundraising campaign in dad’s honor has been established with HelpHOPELive, a nonprofit organization that has been assisting the transplant community for 30 years. All donations are tax-deductible, are held by HelpHOPELive in the Southwest Heart / Kidney Transplant Fund, and are administered by HelpHOPELive for transplant-related expenses only. Please consider making a donation today.Thank you for your consideration in our desperate attempt to give our dad more time here with his wife, kids, and grandkids. Our family thanks you for your generosity, support and prayers.

Albert Dutra, Jr. and Amanda Dutra-Avila (209-585-8020)

June 30, 2013

Post Transplant - 2 Months...

We are now two months out since the heart and kidney transplant. We've had a few bumps in the road but we have had no major setbacks. He is slowly getting his strength back, but still unable to be home with his loved ones, which is hard. We thank all of you for your continued love & support. We are looking forward to the day they tell us we can go home. God Bless!

May 7, 2013

Post Transplant Day 11 - Amazing!

All is going very well!

Remaining IV's were removed over the weekend. Up and walking around. Looking GREAT!

If things continue as they are, he should be out of the hospital this week, back into the half-way apartment!!

Thanks for all the love and support. Still a long road ahead, but having people around you that support you makes a HUGE difference.

REMINDER: There is a Blood Drive from Delta Blood bank being held at the Denair High School Gym between 3 and 7pm on Monday May 20th. Hope to see you there!!

April 28, 2013

Update 4/27 - all is well so far!

Surgery went VERY well they said!! Off the ventilator now and breathing on his own. Awake and talking too just really edgy from all the drugs and steroids. Kidneys are doing excellent as well.

God is good! Thanks for all the prayers and while its a long road ahead dad is a fighter and never gives up,!!

April 27, 2013

Update 4/26 - the big day...

Great news today... Got the call there is a match for a heart and kidney!!! They took him at about 11 am. He's in surgery now. They have to remove the LVAD, swap the hearts and if everything is stable, then they'll do the kidney.

Such an emotional roller coaster today. Happy but terrified. Keep the prayers. Will update later when he comes out of the surgery. Fingers crossed!!!

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April 19, 2013

Update 4/19/2013

Dad is in stable condition at this time. His blood levels have been stable as well (GREAT NEWS!!). No new blood in the last day and a half or so. So they think the combo of med adjustments, reducing the blood thinner, lowering the LVAD device all helped give his body a little more time to heal internally and stop some of the bleeding.

They're slowing upping the dose the blood thinner (a requirement with the LVAD) and monitoring him. With any luck he'll be out of the hospital sometime in the next couple days and back to the recovery apartment!!

Then, we wait for a Heart and Kidney to become available for the BIG DAY.

Thanks for all the thoughts, prayers, wishes, donations, etc.

with Love,

The Dutra Family.

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April 15, 2013

Update 2: 4/15/2013

Big news just now.. Dads officially on the heart transplant list. Level 1A (most critical). The next heart and kidney fitting his match will be his. While this is a blessing, that they feel he is strong enough to endure such a drastic surgery, it's very scary as well. They feel it will be 'very soon' that this will all happen. The LVAD device is causing him to bleed internally through the walls of his stomach & intestines. So they want to move forward as quick as possible with the LVAD removal and new heart. (12+ Pints of blood the past week). We thought the LVAD was a difficult road, this one is much longer and tougher. Please keep dad and mom in your thoughts and prayers. It's been a very rough emotional and physical road they've been on, and now a whole new one starts.

April 29, 2013

Post Transplant Day 3

All is continuing to go well! No blood transfusions, no complications. Doctors are very impressed with his results thus far. Kidneys are doing well also. Said continued on this path he should be out of ICU and down to "step down ICU" around the weekend. Starting physical therapy today. Likely attempt to have him take a few steps.

A few important things:

1. For those of you interested in sending get well cards you Can send them to this address: 555 west Middlefield Rd, apartment N301. Mountain view, CA 94043.

2. For those interested in donating blood, a blood drive will be held on May 20th from 3pm to 7pm at Denair high school gym.

Please say a prayer for his continued recovery. It's a long road ahead. One of his goals is to make it to Hot August Nights this year! Also say a prayer to the family who lost their young loved one. We will be forever grateful for this family giving us this opportunity.

With love,

Albert Jr, and the rest of the Dutra family.

April 15, 2013

Update 4/15/2013

Dad is still in the Hospital. His blood levels continue to drop each day. In the past week, he's taken over 12 pints of blood. Looks like the LVAD is pumping too much blood for his body to handle. The walls of his stomach and intestines are so thin from this change, that its just oozing blood from anything that touches the walls.

The plan? They are changing some meds to try and get the blood to clot better and plug up the holes, but its a risky change. They are trying to get him stable so they can get the heart transplant ASAP.

The Dr is meeting with the Heart Transplant team today to see how soon they can move forward with placing him on the Heart Transplant list with his current condition. They WANT him to be on there "today" (ASAP), but may have to wait until the bleeding is more under control.

This also means that if they ARE able to get him on the list, there's a WHOLE lot more expenses to cover. Increased stay in the hospital, much more meds, etc.

On a good note, yesterday was his birthday! He got to spend the whole day with his kids and grand-kids (they let us ALL in the room! Awesome!).

We aren't sure if they'll get things under control enough to be back out of the hospital before the transplant, or even perhaps the Apartment.

March 29, 2013

Back in the Hospital.. 03/29/13

Well the stay at the "half way apartment" was short lived. Dad's back in the hospital today. We noticed he wasn't acting normal. Almost as if he was hallucinating or seeing things. Carrying on a conversation was OK, but making decisions were a difficult task.

Mom took him to the ER last night, where they ran CT Scans, XRays, EKG's and then today an EEG as well. Still awaiting some of the results. Some of they Psychiatric team came in to evaluate him as well. He had a real tough time doing minimal tasks (drawing simple things).

They are leaning towards some sort of side effect, or withdrawal or something relating to the meds he is on. But its not for sure yet, and their still running tests to make sure its not actually brain related (boy we sure hope not!!!).

We were planning on taking the kids up to see them tomorrow at the apartment, but unfortunately that wont happen this week. :(

Albert

March 25, 2013

Phase 2 - The Half Way Apartment - 03/25/13

Dad's progressing well! He's gaining more and more strength by the day (took multiple laps around nurses station over the weekend). Got to go outside for a few minutes on Saturday on his way back from X-Rays.

Today is a big day! They feel he is ready to move on to the next stage of his recovery. The "Half Way" apartment. Him and my Mom will have to now rent and stay in an apartment not too far from the hospital where she will give him 24/7 care and attention. All the while running back and forth between doctor visits.

This is a big step. Out of the watchful eye of the nurses, fancy monitoring devices, etc. He'll be "out in the real world" so to speak, now. He'll be equipped with a bunch of new devices to keep his LVAD running 24/7.

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March 21, 2013

Step-Down ICU - Take 2 - 3/18/2013

Had a good day and a half in ICU. Starting to get appetite back. Getting a little more energy. Talking quite a bit more (that's a HUGE sign he feels better!!!)

Moved him back down to Step-Down ICU. All good thus far!

March 20, 2013

Step-Down ICU - Take 1 - 3/16/2013

On Friday evening, March 15th Albert was moved down to the "Step Down" ICU.

He had been in isolation in the ICU department after getting a bacteria infection from all the antibiotics. Visitors were required to wear gowns to see him.

The night went well. Albert and Mandie stayed late to visit with him since he was feeling a little better and able to talk some more than he had been able to.

The next morning didn't go quite as expected. Mom and Mandie walked in his room and he was sitting in the chair, head back, unresponsive. They paged over the loudspeaker. Scared to death we waiting to see what was going on. Everyone from all over the hospital came rushing to his room. Within minutes there were 20-25 people surrounding him and his room.

After further evaluation, it looks like due to a combination of things, he had fainted in the chair. According to the doc, due to some of the chemo meds he had in the past that slowed his blood vessels reaction time, and the now constant blood movement from the LVAD, he just couldn't handle the movement. Back to ICU he went, so they could be more 1 on 1 with him.

Doc said it wasn't a step backwards, but they wanted to be more "on top" of him. Still not eating much at all.

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March 20, 2013

LVAD Surgery - 3/6/13

On March 6th, Albert was rushed in for the LVAD Surgery. After a number of hours they came out to the waiting room and said the surgery went very well. But they were VERY concerned about his kidneys and the possibility of the right side of the heart failing, which if that happened there wasn't much else they could do. The next 12-24 hours were a critical stage for him.

He was awoken the next morning, heart doing well, kidneys still questionable. They put him on a Catheter and let him slowly recover.

After a number of blood transfusions, and doctors in and out, they finally got him stable and was doing well. Kidneys were producing and creatinine levels were dropping. A good sign.

The next few days would prove to be quite a challenge for him in the ICU.

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October 8, 2013

Me and my Family

October 8, 2013

Post LVAD Surgery

October 8, 2013

Post Heart & Kidney Transplant

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