Man was fighting for life after pneumonia diagnosis — his parents’ early Christmas gift from a charity sale saved him
Thrift and charity shopping are often done for a good cause or for frugal living. However, with smart and thoughtful purchasing decisions, one can experience life-changing impacts through seemingly simple items. A man named John Michael Mielcarski is crediting much of his health and life to his parents for a present that came out of the blue but just in time, WECT reported. John suddenly started feeling ill and his condition quickly became life-threatening. If it weren’t for a charity purchase made by his parents, he would have had quite a struggle to encounter before having a shot at life.
John recalled being completely fine and healthy, living with his fiancée, Tracy. Suddenly, he began to shoot up a fever, and everything went downhill. “I had a fever. 104, 105, something crazy. By then, I was really sick,” he recalled. His condition wasn’t getting any better and so he was rushed to the hospital. After multiple tests and frantic hours, doctors revealed something devastating. “The ER doc came in and ran a battery of tests and they said, '[You have the] flu, pneumonia. And, I’m not certain, but I think maybe your bowel is perforated as well and you may be septic,'" the man revealed.
Getting the diagnoses as a hit one after the other, hopes were bleak and the man was fighting for his life. His first surgery couldn’t be completed because he crashed. Fortunately, the second was a success but it would be a long time until he recovered. Before that, there were heartbreaking challenges he and his family faced. Having been diagnosed with double pneumonia, John’s oxygen levels were seriously low. He had to be put into a medically induced coma and placed on the ventilator for over a month. “I was a mess, including zero kidney function,” the man explained.
With his worrisome condition, the doctors were discussing permanent dialysis. Call it luck or a miracle but John and Tracy were already equipped for it, thanks to his parents. The duo had attended the Willie Stargell Celebrity Invitational gala just before John got sick and had purchased a dialysis machine. They decided to give it to the couple as an early Christmas gift. Little did they know that three months later, it would become a timely gift of life to their son. At the time, the gift was but a “cool” possession. However, it soon became a critical item and a blessing in disguise.
There’s no explanation as to what pushed the parents to get their son the machine. Perhaps the fact that John’s dad was a doctor influenced the decision. Nevertheless, it became the very thing he needed to save his life. Now that’s a perfect present. “Coolest Christmas present I ever got. Has my name on it. Tracy’s name, too,” John remarked. The man is now on the road to recovery, learning to walk, eat and do everything all over again. His family and friends are right by his side as he makes it through. Speaking of the impromptu gift and the event, John said, “It’s hard to know the impact you’re going to make, impossible maybe. I don’t know all the different reasons people come and gather for the event. Maybe it’s just a blip on your calendar. You know — a social event. But it’s not. Yeah. It’s somebody’s life.”
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