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By Christyn Allen
JAMESTOWN, NY (Erie News Now) – A Warren County family is waiting for a miracle. After 38-year old Christi Carson gave birth to twin girls last month, she was immediately placed on life support. Now the new mom needs a new heart.
“Just sparkly, and the greatest hugs.” That’s what comes to mind when Mark Woody describes his 38-year old stepdaughter, Christi Carson.
“Her father passed away about three years ago from heart disease. Her sister died two years ago from heart disease. That’s when we got her on the radar following with a cardiologist, just in case there was anything. She got married that same year,” Woody told Erie News Now.
A beautiful bride, ready to start a life and family with her new husband. “Miraculously, they followed 8 months later saying they had twins on the way,” he said.
It was a smooth pregnancy for Christi. She continued working full-time as a registered nurse at UPMC Chautauqua. That was until week 31, when Christi became short of breath one morning after working a twelve-hour shift. “They figured out really quick she was in a form of cardiogenic shock– heart shock.”
She was airlifted to a Pittsburgh hospital where she delivered two baby girls, Isla and Arabella. That was four weeks ago. She’s been on life support ever since. “The heart itself is only pumping ten to fifteen percent of normal. It was damaged that significantly, and not just the left side. There’s damage to the right side also,” said Woody.
Christi needs a new heart. Because her antibodies are high from just giving birth, 90% of the population won’t match. “We can’t do anything. She’s broken and we can’t fix her,” said Woody.
In the meantime, this dad and grandfather is waiting for a miracle and preparing to take home his two precious granddaughters, worrying they too might have the heart disease threatening their mother’s life.
Most of all, he’s terrified Christi may never get to watch her two beautiful girls grow up.
“If heart disease runs in your family… Keep a close eye on it. We were watching it, and this still happened,” he said.
The twins, Christi, and her husband have a long road ahead of them.
Christi is awaiting a LVAD procedure to bring her antibodies down, so she can spend time at home while waiting on a transplant.
Community members are raising funds through a GoFundMe. Visit the fundraiser here.
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