Family in Need

My almost 2 year old daughter Maci was born on August 4th 2017. She was the one my wife and I planned for, the one we wanted to round out our growing family with. We wanted to give our 8 year old a little sister. We couldn't have been more excited for her arrival. Our excitement was shattered to the core when at our 20 week ultrasound the tech had a look of sadness come over her. She told us she was going to get the doctor and he would meet with us. That meeting was when we found out she had something called CDH. She was given a 50/50 chance of survival after birth. Essentially it was a hernia in her diaphragm, which allowed her intestines and stomach to rise up into her chest and squeeze her left lung and heart. Her lung capacity was around 47% instead if the 80%+ it should have been by the time she was born. We were shocked, it didn't hit us until we got in the car. We cried and cried and weren't sure where to go from there. The next day was the gender reveal where we tried to be excited but the thought of what our baby would go through starting at birth weighed heavy on our minds. Fast forward months of 3 appointments a weak, fetal MRIs and planning for what would occur at birth. August 4th came and she arrived via c-section, my wife and I kissed her and she was immediately intubated. For the next 2 weeks we spent every moment next to her in the NICU until it was time for her hernia repair. She was the bravest, strongest little human I had ever seen. The nurses were amazed at her strength and resiliency and joked that Maci had no idea she was so sick. The repair went well and after 43 days in the NICU we were able to take our baby home. From the time we got home it was a life filled with worries, fear, sadness but also happiness. Through the G tube feedings, the rushing to her every need and fearing a common cold could ruin all her progress, Maci was fearless. Needless to say the next months and year were filled with joy but also sadness as Maci gets sick easy and has had extended hospital stays since then. A cold or cough for Maci can turned into RSV or bronchiolitis making her breathing very short and labored, which is terrifying. But we love our baby girl and wouldn't change this journey for anything. Unfortunately, now the bills have come. My wife and I have had to juggle current bills and spending all that time in the hospital with Maci multiple times while missing work. We are barely surviving and the amount of bills we pay is now overwhelming. We are in real danger of going into permanent debt. My wife has started a 2nd job and I'm working as much as I can while also taking care of my kids while my wife works her 2nd job. It just doesn't seem to be enough and we are on the verge of drowning financially. So now I'm going to do something I've never done and never thought I would do, ask for help. My wife and I have always tried to help others when possible so now we need some of our own. Please, if you are able, any amount of donation would be greatly appreciated and give our family some peace of mind. I'm calling out friends, family, parents, those who have been in our shoes... please, we badly need this. Thank you for taking time to read our story, hopefully our goal can be reached and bring some piece of mind to our family.