The Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) helps children and young adults who need a life-saving transplant by providing fundraising assistance and family support. COTA is the nation’s only fundraising organization solely dedicated to raising life-saving dollars in honor of transplant-needy children and young adults. 100% of each contribution made to COTA in honor of our patients helps meet transplant-related expenses. COTA’s services are free to our families, and gifts to COTA are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

 

Hello Everyone my name is Ricky and I was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis at 4 months old. CF is an inherited disease that is life-threatening, and damages the lungs and digestive system. Living with CF has its good and bad days but I just take things one day at a time. My fiancé Jennifer and I have decided to team with COTA to help us with a life-saving double lung transplant that will help me live a better quality of life. All proceeds will help with transplant related expenses. Thank you to all that have donated and continue to send prayers our way!

In 2017, my lung function started to decline fast. In and out of the hospital that whole year was so damaging and rough for me and my family. The first mention of the possibility of getting a double lung transplant was finally brought into my life. All though this was the inevitable we didn’t think it would come this soon. Throughout this year I really took the time to focus on my treatment regimens and making sure I was doing everything I could to stay healthy and delay my transplant. Fast forward to the Fall of 2017 I had yet another minor set back, back for a few hospital stays and many exacerbations. I was still holding onto hope and praying that God would get me through this pain and exhaustion feelings that had taken over my body. Winter was even more rough and since then I haven’t been the same.  As my health started declining my fiancé and I just kept faith. Experiencing more frequent exacerbations many more IV medications, nebulizer treatments, oral medications, steroids, blood works and more test….. I just felt sick. X-ray after x-ray, and many Ct scans after Ct scans my CF team finally found out what was causing all these hospital stays. January 2018 my CF team discovered that I had a collapsed lung, upper left lobe to be exact. After a bronchoscopy, and many months later we learned that the procedure didn’t work. The CF team attempted to inflate the lung again but it just wasn’t working, to this day my lung remains collapsed. A few months go by and it time for another CT scan and my doctors discovered that I had cavity cavitary pneumonia. Which means that I had holes in my lungs. Many visits later, still not feeling quite myself, I was then diagnosed with a fungus that grew in my lungs and unfortunately, I haven’t been able to shake it off. This fungus that decided to move in with me has put me on the transplant list! Now I’m in house, and my CF team was moving fast. I had all major test for transplant, getting evaluated was no fun but it was necessary. After spending months in the hospital fighting this fungus, I was finally able to go home after about 2 months in the hospital. I got introduced to a new friend, with my lung function at 22% I was going home with an oxygen tank and multiple IV meds. 

My new care routine… more testing!!!! continue my usual treatments, follow up and my favorite part- Pulmonary Rehab! My fiancé and my team have so great in supporting me and making sure I tackle whatever obstacles that comes my way. My family and I are requesting donations to assistant with the enormous expense of having a double lung transplant, medications, traveling and hopefully relocating during recovery. Every little bit would help us and would be gratefully appreciated, along with Prayers! We have prayed for stability and strength to get him through transplant. God bless everyone and Thank you in advance for taking the time to help us. 

God Bless

-Jennifer, Ricky and Family. 

 

update Sept 2019:

As some of you may know and some not, there is a new triple drug that became available called Trikafta “the miracle drug” for those with Cystic Fibrosis. I have been fortunate to have the gene that allows me to partake in this trail. My lung function has increased to 38% just in these past two months since starting this drug. I am very pleased that the FDA has approved this drug and i’m eager to see what is in stores for me this year. Overall, I am doing great and the family is doing great. We will keep you updated as our journey continues. Thank you and God Bless.