Dear friends and family

Back in December, my husband Caleb was hospitalized due to severe side effects from a supplement he had been taking. Thanks to your incredible generosity, we raised over $6,000 to support our family during that difficult time. Your support made a real difference, and we are so deeply grateful.

Unfortunately, Caleb is now facing another serious medical emergency.

After not having a bowel movement for a week and experiencing worsening pain, Caleb was taken to the ER. Despite receiving several medications, nothing helped. He was admitted to the hospital and underwent further testing, including imaging with contrast and IV antibiotics.

The surgeon was already aware of a perforation in Caleb’s colon before the surgery, but it appears the hole had worsened over time. As the pain became unbearable and the condition more urgent, the medical team made the decision to proceed with surgery. During the operation, they removed approximately 8 cm of his colon. Caleb now has an ostomy, and although the surrounding bowel was inflamed, the rest appeared healthy.

Caleb is now in the ICU. He remains intubated and is being closely monitored. He has a central line for medication and possible IV nutrition due to low blood pressure during surgery and overall weakness.

This unexpected turn has put our family under tremendous physical, emotional, and financial strain. Caleb won’t be able to return to work for a while, and medical bills are adding up again quickly. We are reopening this fundraiser to ask for your continued support during this critical time.

If you are able to contribute — no matter the amount — it would mean the world to us. And if you cannot give financially, please consider sharing this with others who might be able to help. Your love and kindness are powerful, and we are not alone because of you.

Thank you for standing by us, Caleb, Sandy, Wyatt, Nellie, Lylah and Lawson once again. ❤️

WARNING!! And PLEASE HELP if you can…

About 6 months ago Caleb started taking a new plant health supplement derived from a plant called Kratom. Made by a company called MIT45 it was supposed to help with focus and energy. After MIT45 he used a variety of raw leaf powder from the health food store, thinking it would be an even healthier option. Eventually trying a version of Kratom called 7-oh.

After taking it within 3-4 hours he would start having withdrawal symptoms. It was so hard in the beginning with 4 kids, that I looked at inpatient places but nobody would take him. So we had no choice but to detox at home. I felt horrible as a wife that I couldn’t help my husband the way he needed while trying to still tend to the needs of my other 4 children. It was so heartbreaking not being able to do anything when he would ask for help. I was so overwhelmed even with the help of my mother in law. All I could do was watch my husband suffering… We received some prescriptions to try to manage the symptoms but nothing helped. I ended up having to take him to the ER where they eventually had to put him on Sobutex, a medication used to treat opioid addiction, that he will have to take for a few weeks.

We both had to take days off of work. My husband who works by appointment only, has lost a week’s worth of income. We have now accumulated several medical bills between the different prescriptions, the psychiatrist following him and the ER visit.

We are now at home hopefully slowly getting on the other side of this mess. It’s been a very long, hard and exhausting time, both emotionally and physically.

So on top of the intense level of stress worrying about my husbands health and how he will be, while taking care of all four kids, and now financially we are in a very big hole and behind on our bills, with my husband not being able to work and all the new medical bills.

We would also like to spread the word about Kratom. If you know someone who wants to try Kratom or are thinking of trying it yourself, read everything you can find about it and know how destructive and addictive this seemingly innocent plant really is.