Support Rica’s Fight Against a Fatal Disease

Today, Ate will undergo a minor procedure to insert a vascular access line in her chest. A vascular line is a small tube placed into a larger vein so doctors can give medicines, fluids, blood products, nutrition, or other treatments more safely and reliably. In many cases, this is also called a central line or central venous catheter. It is often used when a patient needs ongoing treatment, frequent blood draws, or stronger medicines that may be difficult to give through a regular IV line. For Ate Rica, this will help her medical team give treatment through the chest line instead of repeatedly using small IV lines in her hands or arms. Her veins have already been through so much because of repeated hospitalizations, blood tests, medicines, and procedures, so having a more reliable line can help reduce the need for repeated needle insertions.

Ate Rica’s condition worsened, and she had to be transferred to the ICU. The doctors also needed to do CT scans of her chest and abdomen to better understand what is happening and check for possible complications. Her creatinine level was also high, which is why she needed to be seen by a nephrologist as well. We were also red-tagged by the hospital, which means all hospital payments now have to be made in cash. Her HMO has already been fully maxed out, so we can no longer rely on it to cover her expenses. This has made the financial burden even heavier for our family, especially with ICU care, additional tests, specialist consultations, and ongoing treatment costs. We are continuing to ask for prayers, support, and help as Ate Rica fights through this very difficult stage.

Not even a week after being discharged, Rica is back in the hospital. We really thought she was doing better, but only a few days after coming home, she started vomiting and could no longer eat. We immediately stayed in touch with her primary doctor, updated them on what was happening, and were advised that it would be safest to admit her again. Her procalcitonin level, which is a blood marker doctors use to watch for possible serious infection, went from 3 to 22. In layman’s terms, that sharp increase can be a sign that something serious may be going on in her body and needs urgent attention. Doctors also shared that her kidneys might have been affected, so she is now being closely monitored while they do further tests and treatment.