Imagine a newlywed couple, glowing with the joy of their recent vows, eagerly heading to the airport for a dream honeymoon in Hawaii. Sara and Mitch Seeley, fresh from their beautiful Oregon wedding, are the embodiment of love and happiness.
But fate had other plans. Just moments from the airport, in a twist straight out of a movie, the unimaginable happens. Sara collapses, her heart ceasing to beat normally.
In a race against time, Mitch’s mother pulls over in desperation. Mitch, driven by love and fear, performs CPR on his wife, fighting to bring her back.
Cut to the intense scenes at Adventist Health, where it takes 20 grueling minutes for medical staff to revive Sara’s pulse. She’s rushed to OHSU’s ICU – a stark contrast to the honeymoon they had planned.
Enter Jane Madden, Sara’s sister, who reveals a shocking diagnosis after weeks of testing: Juvenile Hemochromatosis, a rare condition where the body hoards dangerous levels of iron, threatening vital organs.
Sara, only 28, faces symptoms that usually strike in midlife: heart failure, liver issues, diabetes. This is a condition often hidden in family genes, striking young adults in their prime.
The story takes another heart-wrenching turn. Post cardiac arrest, Sara suffers a stroke, paralyzing half her body. The struggle intensifies.
Sara’s now on a regimen of heart medications and iron chelation, coupled with physical therapy. It’s a battle not just for recovery, but for normalcy.
In the backdrop of this medical drama, a community rallies. Jane Madden, spearheading a fundraiser, highlights the harsh reality of astronomical medical bills, compounded by insurance nightmares labeling life-saving medication as ‘experimental’.
Over $15,000 raised, and counting. The couple moves in with Sara’s family, clinging to hope and the possibility of reversing her heart failure, inspired by rare cases of recovery.
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