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Help Dr. Craig Survive ICU in India

  • The journey continues in New Zealand

      20 April 2025

    Last Friday Craig and Kristen landed in New Zealand - we have been continuing to manage Craig's heart failure and transition into medical care here.

    We are now waiting to have a CT Angiogram of his heart. This was a procedure that he was not up to having in India and will provide information to help inform the next steps.

    While back in New Zealand, there is still a long way to go to help strengthen his heart. This could take up to 6 months before he is able to start that treatment. In the meantime he spends his time resting.

    It has been a really difficult time that has seen in the last two and a half months, heart failure, two heart attacks (one of which involved pulmonary failure and need for an external respirator), three operations, ICU and hospital stays!

    Craig has fought hard and hung in there.

    We are incredibly grateful for the medical care that he received in India. It is really terrifying going through the nightmare he has been through, while being a foreigner and facing communication challenges. Not being covered by insurance, in a private medical system also added another layer of stress with the need to access financial resources instantly.

    Our family, friends and networks have been amazing.

    We have felt the aroha and support. We could not have gotten this far without you all.

    Craig has been able to read through your messages and has been blown away by your love. Thank you.

    Although we have still got a way to go, we got Craig home to NZ!...

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  • Third Kidney Surgery

      4 April 2025

    Update:

    Three weeks since Craig was admitted to hospital here in Mumbai.

    Currently Craig is undergoing a final kidney surgery that is required to take place before any further heart procedures can happen. Although it is a short operation, it does require another general anaesthetic and with that, associated risk to Craig’s heart.

    The last week has been an important resting time for Craig as his heart has had cardiac markers indicating heart failure, since the last heart attack in ICU. He is now showing some improved signs in this area.

    Although it is scary to have yet another general anaesthetic for his heart right now, it is more risk to Craig not to operate. We are confident that the team will be doing all they can to have him come through it without any complications.

    Once we are through the next couple of days, the plan is to continue to medically manage his heart to safely fly back to NZ where further imaging of his heart will inform future decisions.

    Thank you once again for the kindness, messages, prayers, support and aroha that you have continued to show us. There have been moments when a message of encouragement has come just when it was needed. We are also incredibly grateful and humbled by the financial support that has been gifted to us. It has helped during this incredibly stressful time where we are required to upfront finance all aspects of Craig’s health care.

    Tomorrow we are another step closer to safely bringing Craig back home.

    Arohanui, Kristen

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  • Next Steps

      29 March 2025

    Hi everyone, Kristen here.  It is now two weeks since Craig was first admitted to hospital. Thank you for all of your messages and support, it really means a lot.

    After the last surgery, Craig’s kidneys are doing better.  During the second surgery they put a stent in the kidney and were able to remove clots found in the kidney and bladder. He is in a lot less pain now and can breath without oxygen support, which is significant progress from an external respirator.

    This has been a huge help in his recovery.  Unfortunately given the seriousness of those surgeries and his heart history, the next steps are complicated. To determine the next steps and safely travel home, there are heart tests that need to be done.  However currently the risks of complications from doing these are too high.

    Because we can’t get the testing, decisions can’t be made about procedures around the heart yet.

    Until we know the next steps required around procedures, his recovery will be at home with outpatient support. This will be a quieter environment which is allowing him to get much needed sleep, while still being monitored daily.

    Craig and our entire family are incredibly humbled by the support and aroha we have received.  Thank you for the messages, prayers and support.  We still have a number of challenges to manovue but Craig is getting stronger and we will get home one step at a time.

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  • Second Surgery

      24 March 2025

    Over the last 24 hours we have had an absolutely incredible response, our deep gratitude goes out to you all - for your messages, for sharing Dad’s story and for your generosity in supporting his ongoing treatment.

    The hospital has some strict procedures, at the moment we are unable to take phones or computers for dad to read them all, but we are absolutely certain that the outpouring of love will be a huge assistance to his recovery when he can read your words. When mum passed on to him that the page had been set up and he was receiving countless messages, he simply shook his head in disbelief.

    Last night Dad underwent a second surgery with procedures done on his kidneys and bladder. This appears to have gone well, we are hoping that it provides pain relief and importantly gives the body a bit of rest/stability before he undergoes additional procedures on his heart. Once he is strong enough they can proceed with these and we will have a better idea of what is necessary for him to be able to travel home.

    Thank you again for your love, prayers and continued support.

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