Derek’s Story

Site created on May 18, 2018

Welcome to our CaringBridge website. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement.  


Derek was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy in October of 2014. There have been many ups and downs on his journey but we are so fortunate that we have been connected with the University of Madison transplant team and we are working closely with them to give Derek a life that he can live to the fullest.


To make a long story a bit shorter, I will recap the last couple months. Derek was hospitalized with an exacerbation of heart failure in February where his kidneys and liver also started to fail. He was transferred to UW Madison and they were able to get all of his organs functioning properly again (except for his heart of course.)


Fast forward to the end of March. We decided to switch all of his care over to Marshfield Clinic from Aspirus and Riverview. It has been trememdous!! We cannot thank the doctors and nurses and assistants enough!!  He was just hospitalized last week in order to try a new IV medication.


We are now working with the University Hospital and transplant team in Madison, WI to start the journey towards a better life! We will post updated here and ask for all of your continued positive thoughts and prayers as we embark on this life changing journey.

Newest Update

Saturday Success

Journal entry by Dawn Honig —

Today was an amazing day! Derek is still very out of it, a little delirious (they call it ICU delirium) and quite tired (all of these things are normal) but he has had a successful day in the books!

Foley catheter out- Check
Chest Tubes out- Check
Swan/Right heart catheter out- Check
Up to the chair- Check
Marched in place while standing- Check
Went for first walk in the hallway- Check

He was an absolute rockstar. He has been doing his breathing exercises and coughing and the ICU staff said he took the longest first walk they have seen from an LVAD patient. He is doing great. Coming off some of the medications and working on coming off the high flow of oxygen but so far so good!! So proud of this guy!!
Read More of the journal titled "Saturday Success"
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