Christa Harlfinger is the wife of Waukesha Fire Department Lieutenant Rob Harlfinger. They met at Waukesha South High School when they were 15. They were married on January 2, 1998 (27 years), and have two sons, Jonathan (22) and Evan (17). The family also has a dog named Ollie and two cats, Mr. Murphy and Findley. Christa loves to read books, sing, and enjoys quiet time at their cabin in the north woods. She is also a huge animal lover and loves to help with fundraising efforts for rescues and police K9 efforts, has been known to bottle feed kittens, and help needy animals in any way that she can.
About 2 months ago, Christa started to have trouble breathing. Over the last 2 months she has been in and out of the hospital and ICU on numerous occasions. She seemed to be making slow improvements. Since then she has been informed she needs a lung transplant.
Christa is currently at the UW-Madison Hospital awaiting an organ donor for the transplant. Most recently her lungs have totally failed and she underwent surgery to be placed on an ECMO machine, which basically adds oxygen and removes carbon dioxide from her blood, bypassing her lungs. The maximum usage of the ECMO machine is only up to 2 months, before the machine will no longer be able to function as her lungs.
When Christa does get a transplant, the hospital will require the immediate family to stay within 20 minutes of the hospital for 1 month, while her intensive recovery will last 3-6 months, or longer. Thus, this journey will not only be long and tenuous for her, but for her entire family as well.
The Waukesha Local 407 is coordinating to cover Rob’s Fire Department shifts so that he can be at her side, and helping to raise money through donations, to assist the family with the numerous and rapidly growing medical expenses.
Please consider sharing this and making a financial contribution to help offset the large medical bills, travel and housing accommodation costs that are already piling up.
