Carlie Wise Support for Jake & Carlie

First post: Oct 22, 2019 Latest post: Oct 11, 2020
***Updates on Carlie's condition will be posted on this page as necessary. Please share with anyone who wants to pray for her and love her family***

On October 8th, Carlie was hospitalized at Cox South in Springfield, MO following an ER visit. The previous weekend she had a high fever and cough and visited urgent care for what seemed like a common respiratory infection. At home, she couldn't catch her breath, and on arriving at the ER, her oxygen levels were at 50-60% and dropping. Initially the doctor thought she might have viral myocarditis--heart failure brought on by a virus attacking the heart. Thankfully, this has been eliminated as a cause.

After four days receiving high levels of oxygen and resting in the ICU at Cox, Carlie was put on a ventilator in hopes that relieving her lungs from the workload of breathing would help them to heal. Viral, bacterial, allergic, medical side-effects, and countless other causes have been proposed with no clear explanation. Bronchoscopies and x-rays of her lungs have shown interstitial pneumonitis, an inflammation of her alveoli that prevents them from oxygenating her blood, and ARDS, fluid blocking oxygen flow. She cannot breathe on her own, and the cause is a complete mystery.

Cox doctors transferred her to Mercy Hospital in Springfield when the ventilator did not help. Mercy is one of few hospitals in the state that could perform surgery to hook her to a life-support machine called ECMO (Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation). As the name suggests, this machine takes her blood outside of her body to perform the gas reactions she needs to stay alive. The hope is that by taking this burden off her lungs, the inflammation will decrease and she will regain breathing function. It's amazing that this technology even exists and that it was available in our city. We are so grateful! Praise God.

When ECMO did not improve her condition, however, Mercy transferred her to Barnes-Jewish Hospital on October 16th. She is still on ECMO, and the experts here care for patients on this machine very often. Each case is different--some show quick improvement, and others take a very long time. She remains sedated, ventilated, and attached to the life support machine. BJH is a transplant center and pulmonary pioneering facility. A double lung transplant is a possibility without improvement on ECMO, but only time will tell.

All along the way, Carlie has received exceptional and compassionate care. Professionals from her two previous facilities have reached out for updates and made wonderful connections with her while she was there. Her nurses have seen her joy and positivity, and her Christlike and matter-of-fact, no-nonsense, scientific attitude and sense of humor have just been pure Carlie. It's amazing and touching to see--a witness to those around her that she knows the Lord has her taken care of.

Right now, cost of care and how long she will be on life-support are unknown, let alone what kind of rehabilitation process she will undergo the longer she takes to heal. Everyone who knows and loves her, me, and her family has been so kind and so generous in making sure our immediate needs (food and a place to stay) have been met, and the outpouring of prayer from our larger community has been overwhelming. Please continue to pray for her healing and that she will experience the presence and comfort of God's Spirit during this time. That's my greatest desire for her--to know that she is safe and secure in the loving arms of the Father.

Both of our jobs and my university have been gracious in allowing us time to get her better. As so many have asked how they can help, those close to us have advocated that we start this fundraiser. Please give as you feel led by your heart and the Spirit and know that Carlie is aware of how much she is loved and prayed for.

With love in Christ,

Jake Wise 

***Updates on Carlie's condition will be posted on this page as necessary. Please share with anyone who wants to pray for her and love her family***

SVG_Icons_Back_To_Top
Top