Weekday or weekend, rain or shine, Jeffrey Rose can be found fishing.
The 45-year-old father of three is happiest on the water, his wife, April Rose, says. It’s one of the only times that Jeffrey Rose ever sits still. Constantly on the go at work as a forklift operator or running errands for the family, Jeffrey Rose’s wife is concerned that her husband doesn’t take enough time to relax.
Her desire for her husband to take a step back is becoming more of a necessity by the day. After having a hereditary heart attack at age 30, Jeffrey Rose began making changes to lead a healthier lifestyle. But the changes weren’t enough.
Now, with a looming heart surgery, the family is raising money through a GoFundMe account to buy a camper to live in on Lake Tiger, one of Jeffrey Rose’s favorite fishing spots. April Rose believes that getting a place next to the water will allow her husband to spend even more of his time on the lake with their son, as well as relax the fisherman as to not aggravate his heart condition.
HEART-RACING BEGINNINGS
After Jeffrey Rose’s heart attack 15 years ago, he thought the lifestyle changes he was doing were making a difference. Then he began breathing differently. Although his wife suggested he visit his primary care doctor, Jeffrey Rose continued his busy life with his usual vigor.
He was bike riding with some friends one day when he had to stop, thinking he was dying.
“He couldn’t breathe,” April Rose said.
After being taken to the hospital, doctors determined that five of Jeffrey Rose’s arteries were clogged.
“They were clogged for so long that it killed his heart muscles,” April Rose said.
Jeffrey Rose had five stents inserted into his heart and two probes into his heart chamber.
Even with the arteries cleared, Jeffrey Rose’s heart is still only pumping blood at 23% capacity, meaning that he needs a defibrillator inserted immediately. If he doesn’t have a defibrillator installed as quickly as possible, he is in danger of dying.
If the defibrillator doesn’t work, Jeffrey Rose would need a heart transplant.
The family is hopeful that they will receive a date for defibrillator surgery in the immediate future.
Jeffrey Rose knows that the surgery is necessary, but isn’t pleased about the overnight hospital stay. He was even more upset after being told he wouldn’t be able to use one of his arms for five to seven days after the surgery. That means no fishing.
ON THE WATER
Fishing is Jeffrey Rose’s solace.
He wakes up at 5 a.m. most days to go to work at Burris Logistics, where he is a forklift operator in charge of dock loading. After leaving work at three, he returns home to take his youngest son, Dylan, fishing. The two will remain on the water until 9 p.m., before returning home and making plans for the next day’s fishing trip. Dylan, 9, enjoys catching fish with his dad and watching his father’s funny antics. With a pole in hand, the fishing fanatic frequently hooks himself on accident and has, on occasion, fallen out of his boat. He is planning on teaching his son and grandkids all the tricks of the trade.
When not at work or on the water, Jeffrey Rose can be found shopping for supplies at Wal-Mart or Harbor Freight Tools, or hunting.
April Rose is happy her husband still has his usual desire to do as much as he can, but she is worried about his health and what could potentially happen if his heart can’t keep up. His doctors have told him that he isn’t supposed to go anywhere by himself. Even still, he frequently leaves his cell phone on the bedside table before heading out early to get a start on his daily tasks.
“A lot of people get into a depressed state,” she said. “He’s just keepin’ on, keepin’ on.
April Rose currently teaches Dylan, who has separation anxiety, at home during the day. She has accepted a night job with DS Services, in the hopes that her husband can take an early retirement and live a life on the water.
The family has applied for Jeffrey Rose to get social security and disability, because of his congestive heart failure. Although the family is working on paying off their medical bills, which were partially covered by insurance, they have set up the GoFundMe account to raise money for the camper.
Ideally, April Rose would like a full-size bed and kitchen, as well as a bunk for Dylan. Dylan would also like enough room in the camper for his PlayStation. The proximity of the nearby lakes and ponds would cut down on the time that Jeffrey Rose has to spend preparing and transporting his boat to the water. The Roses currently live with Dylan, their daughter, Courtney, and Courtney’s three children.
“Just big enough for us to live comfortably,” April Rose said.
TO DONATE: GoFundMe.com/JeffreyRose
Contact Emily Topper at etopper@plantcityobserver.com
