Hi I'm Erika and the picture above is myself, my husband, my 15  year old daughter, and my 9 year old step-daughter at our wedding on August 8, 2015. I thank God everyday for sending me my best friend and truly wonderful man to be my husband and my beautiful daughter who has been beyond amazing over the last year of my illness. I have been really hesitant to do this but I have put such a financial burden on my family between added medical expenses, not being able to work for over 7 months, and my husband having to take a leave of absense to take care of things with the girls and home during my many hospital stays and was eventually laid off. 

Over the last year I have had 17 surgeries/procedures under anesthesia and numerous lenghty hospital stays. I have been diagnosed with several gastrointestinal problems including chronic diarrhea, chronic nausea and vomiting, intestinal bleeding and several intestinal infections including C-Diff, which kept me in the hospital in isolation for 3 weeks; stage 4 liver disease due to lenghthy treatment of extremely high doses of anti-inflammatories and steroids given as treatment for a ruputured patellar tendon and surgical repair; an enlarged spleen that is destroying my platelets (thrombocytopenia) which causes me to have internal bleeds that have to be repaired; anemia, severe psoriasis and now psoriatic arthritis which is extremely painful without treatment but I can't receive treatment at this time because of my chronic intestinal issues; and most recently a large section of my small bowel has become enlarged and has thickening and a collection of fluid. Three specialist have now told me that they can't determine what it is from the test they have done but that it's "not right and needs to be taken care of." The only cure for my liver at this point is a transplant.  I am being closely monitored  by my doctors and they are currently discussing surgery on my small intestines to determine what exactly is wrong.

I have a long road ahead of me but I have complete faith in my doctors and I have an amazing family by my side through the good and the bad. I have always loved life and enjoyed doing things for friends, family, and people I come in contact with to make their day special. This battle with multiple illnesses has made me appreciate the little things in life even more. When I am exhausted and down, the smiles on my husband and daughter's faces, the hugs and kisses, and hearing my 15 year old say "momma, I love you most in the world," is the best gift I could ever ask for. My 15 year old is about to be sweet 16 and she said to me the other day, "momma, I want us to go play laser tag for my birthday and you are going to play!" I responded "yes baby I will as long as I'm feeling ok," and she responded with a big smile, "no momma, you WILL play laser tag with me, if we can afford it." She always knows how to make me smile! They are my world and they come first! I hate that I have become a financial burden on our family, but they always reassure me that my health and everyday we have to spend together is what is most importanat.

At this time we are financially challenged due to my being unable to work and my added medical expenses with no end in sight. Anything you can do to help with my expenses would mean the world to us, along with your prayers. We are a family that likes to donate to the community and volunteer to help those less fortunate and we can't wait to get back to normal. My daughter has even asked if she can volunteer to help feed the homeless during her Thanksgiving break from school, which she does quite often. Thank you all so much for taking the time to read about what is going on in our life right now and for anything you can do to help us. God bless you all and remember to live each day to the fullest, find pleasure in the little things, and love without condition because life is too short not to.

God Bless and Much Love,
Erika, Trey, and our beautiful girls