Hi friends — Thank you all for your love, support, and being part of our community. There have been so many requests to help, bring meals, and reach out that we decided this tool is a great way to organize it all! Michelle’s story is one of gratitude; we’ll circle back to that in a minute. She went in to her doctor for routine breast imaging/screening. A small irregularity near her heart was noticed and flagged for follow up. Days later she was told to check in at the ER because of concerning findings of inflammation and an enlarged heart. After more tests in the ER she was promptly transferred to the ICU at Kaiser SF, a hospital that specializes in cardiac patients. Michelle’s case was a mystery because inflammation and its damage was evident, but no cause was apparent. More tests, more doctors, more days in ICU. Finally, a diagnosis of an autoimmune disorder was made. Her heart was most likely attacking itself because of this disorder and enhanced during this year’s terrible cold and flu season. But, what to do next? The plan is in three parts. Part one happened in the hospital. A stent was placed in her heart to allow better blood flow through the parts that had been inflamed. Part two is happening now. To get rid of as much inflammation as possible, she is taking powerful immunosuppressants and steroids. And thankfully, because the stent made her more stable, she was able to come home for this phase. The timing for this portion of treatment is in flux, likely two to four months depending on lots of variables. Part three will be open heart surgery. With the inflammation lessened, the tissue will be healthy enough to operate on. This will fix the remaining damage in her heart by replacing the aortic valve. After some time recovering, she will be back to normal activities, and an ongoing regimen of immunosuppressants to battle the autoimmune disorder that started this. As I said earlier, Michelle’s story is one of gratitude. She is grateful for early detection and watchful doctors. She’s grateful for compassionate nurses, the support of family and friends, and prayer. She’s grateful for faith and a peace that surpasses all understanding, even in the most uncertain times. And she’s grateful for you; for your care and your love for our family. We continue to navigate unknowns, and we continue holding on to gratitude. Warmly, Michelle, Garrett, Isaac, Benny, and Grace