LI Animal Rescue Advocate Faces Terrifying, 'Unreal' Health Crisis

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — For years, Jaclyn Roche -Guastella and her fiance Joe Rocco have been a beacon of light for animals in need on Long Island, dedicating their lives to rescue and leading with heart and compassion.

Now, Roche -Guastella is in the fight of her life, and needs help herself to face a daunting and unexpected health crisis.

Larissa Jasinski, Roche-Guastella's younger sister, created a GoFundMe, "Unexpected Post-Op Complications," to help.

"I'm reaching out for help for financial help from the community that she has nonstop, wholeheartedly, helped for years," she wrote.

Then she added "a little about my amazing sister: She's a single mom of three and has custody of our two very young nieces, so that makes five children in her care. She works a full-time job, and operates a fully functioning, fast-paced, nonstop, non-profit organization, The Broken Antler Wildlife Rescue, with her fiance Joe Rocco. They provide around-the-clock care for just under 100 animals. I always joke with her as being Super Woman. With everything on her plate, she is always helping others and putting them before herself."

But a sudden health crisis stopped Roche -Guastella in her tracks. On August 2, she underwent a six-plus hour surgery. While the surgery went smoothly, pain kept her hospitalized for observation.

"Thank goodness she made that choice!" her sister wrote.

On August 4, Roche -Guastella and her family thought she'd be going home. "Instead, her body had other unfortunate and scary plans," her sister wrote. "Early that Friday morning, the nurses found her lifeless, unresponsive body — prompting a crash team of more than 20 people to flood her hospital room to save her life. And that they did. Thank you to all the amazing people who worked on her to keep her on earth."

Roche -Guastella, she said, has multiple sclerosis, a history of kidney cancer, a bleeding disorder, "and a laundry list of many other medical issues."

Once the crash team got Roche -Guastella responsive, they realized her body was completely paralyzed, so they immediately rushed her into CT scans, fearing a stroke, Jasinski said.

"They ran every blood test imaginably known," she said.

She didn't have a stroke but went into kidney failure; her MS, prolonged surgery, and anesthesia put her body into a full-blown MS flare "that completely just took over the body, leaving her paralyzed and in ICU," she said.

She added: "With the outcome unknown and the long hard road she faces ahead of her, I'm reaching out on here, for the community to come together and help my beautiful, big-hearted sister with the many financial burdens she is going to be facing. Being a single mom with five children, under 100 animals in her care, unforeseen medical expenses, and now, no current income besides the minimal short-term disability, she is going to be drowning in debt."

Roche-Guastella also spoke with Patch from the hospital. She'd initially gone to the hospital for a hysterectomy, "thinking everything was going to be fine," she said. "I went through all my specialists and got cleared by all of them. All went great with the surgery, and I stayed the night for observation. Thursday, I had a lot of pain as expected and asked if I could stay one more night for proper pain management, thinking I would be discharged Friday."

She added: "Well, it was a good thing I made the call to stay the night on Thursday because when the nurse came to check on me Friday morning, I was unresponsive, in kidney failure, super dehydrated, and completely paralyzed," she said. "I woke up to a nurse basically sitting on me with her knuckles deep in my chest to get a response from me and a bunch of people around me. I could barely see — but could hear everything."

The next thing she knew the crash team came running into her room. "I looked over at Rocco, and his face was white as a ghost. All I clearly remember before they flew down to have a CT scan is asking the nurse and Rocco, 'Did I die?'"

The experience, she said, was life-altering. "It felt unreal. It was very scary, and all I could think about was my kids and Rocco. I didn't want anyone to be upset and just to know that I was going to be okay."

For the next few days, what was happening to Roche-Guastella was a "mystery" to her doctors and her team, she said. "I even asked one of them, 'Is this normal?' His response was, 'None of this is normal.'"

Of being diagnosed with MS in 2015, Roche-Guastella said, "That in itself is a battle. Every day is different."

But despite the diagnosis, she carried on caring for her family and for the animals she works tirelessly to save.

"What the doctors think happened is due to the 6-plus hour surgery, being under anesthesia and having MS, that the combo kicked me into an extreme flare up, and the history of kidney cancer contributed to going into it kidney failure."

Currently, she has tubes in her lung and liver to drain fluid and another tube in her abdomen to drain an abscess that developed.

"I'm on super strong IV antibiotics, and the pain is being managed around the clock," she said.

And yet, Roche-Guastella remains grateful.

"All the doctors, nurses, and staff here at PBMC have been beyond amazing, and I couldn't be more thankful to be in the right place at the right time. If I was discharged that Thursday, I would most likely not be here to talk about this."

She remains filled with hope for her future — and is determined to continue in her quest.

"I cannot wait to be back home with my children and back out into the community, saving animals with Rocco. At the end of the day, that's what brings me the most joy and self accomplishment."

Of the GoFundMe, she said: "I'm in shock to how much my community has shown their love and support over the past two weeks. It brings tears to my eyes to see how many people are reaching out on so many different levels. I absolutely love everyone around me, and I am beyond blessed to have such a strong army of people rooting for me."

Her love Rocco added: "I've always joked around with Jackie, saying that she is Wonder Woman. Well, I still stand by that. She is simply amazing and she is the toughest girl that I have ever met. I am very lucky and fortunate to have her by my side, through thick and thin."

To donate to the GoFundMe, click here.

Donations are also being accepted The Broken Antler Wildlife Rescue for feed and other expenses.