11/08/2017
Hello Friends and Family,
I would like to take this moment to announce our first annual Toys for Termites drive. All toys donated will be given to Loma Linda University Children's Hospital. As some of you might already know, my wife has recently undergone a heart transplant at LLUMC. What you don't know are the tragedies she experienced while waiting for her precious gift. This is what I wish to share with you in hopes of bringing awareness to what children may be experiencing everyday, and during this holiday season.
My wife has been battling heart disease for over 25 years. Her condition known as Ventricular Tachycardia eventually worsened into Cardiomyopathy (heart failure). She finally hit the end of the road and was told by her cardiologist that the only way to survive was to be admitted into the hospital and live there until a donor was found. As tough as this was, it was her only choice if she wanted to stay alive. She was told she could go into cardiac arrest at any given moment. During her 70 days of living in the CCU of the hospital, the doctors ran Lidocaine through her system 24 hours a day to keep her heart numb and to control her heart rhythm.
She did not have a private room, so she always had a second bed next to her. Her first neighbor crashed and died right next to her, nearly 4 feet away. This was very traumatic for Kim and she almost decided to leave, but she stuck with it. Her next neighbor also crashed and died after three days. The staff was kind enough to move Kim over to the next room. I would come to visit her each day and she would tell me stories of all the other patients that were dying around the unit. Eventually, two more of her neighbors died. My wife got to know every one of them, even though some were only for a brief moment. The staff was nice enough to move her each time, but after being surrounded by so much death she began to lose hope. She stuck with it knowing she had no other option if she wanted to get better.The horrible reality was that she was not leaving that hospital unless she received a new heart or died waiting. Just like the 20 people who die waiting on the list, everyday. After almost 50 days in, she had a very nice lady next her for almost a week. She was supposed to go home the next morning but unfortunately, she did not make it. At this point, Kim had been through so much trauma and was so exhausted from stress and lack of sleep that she just stayed in her room even while the woman's children came in to say their goodbyes to their deceased mother.
On day 70, and after 3 false alarms, Kim got the call that her gift had arrived. She got ready, they ran some tests, and when they finally came to get her at 3:30 am, they wheeled her into the surgery room. We said our good-byes and she went in. She had no sense of fear on her face and didn’t shed a single tear. She is the strongest woman I know, and I am beyond proud and honored to be her husband!
Now, almost 6 months after her transplant, she is vibrant, healthy, and walking up to 5 miles a day! We are eternally grateful to the entire LLUMC staff. My wife’s optimistic spirit and courage would not have been the same without them. They truly care for and about their patients as a whole. We hope that by showing our appreciation to this wonderful hospital, we can lift the spirits of the children calling it home this holiday season. This is just a small token of our appreciation. Thank you LLUMC for making our journey possible. I hope that many, many more can experience the happy ending that we have!
I share this story in hopes of shedding light as to what some people endure everyday. I have chosen to use my resources and experiences to make a difference in the lives of children while they are in the hospital waiting for their gift to arrive. In an effort to bring a smile to the faces of these sacred children, I ask that you consider donating a small toy to help them get through the hardest moments of their lives. Together, hopefully we can bring their holiday season a breath of fresh air! If you would like to donate a toy, please address/deliver to:
West Guard Termite Control
400 South Ramona Ave, Suite 212- X
Corona, Ca 92879
We will be happy to issue a $100.00 discount towards any work needed. If you don't need any work at the moment, your credit will be secure with us until it's needed.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and have a great holiday season!
Sincerely,
Ivan Ocampo
Owner, West Guard Termite Control
