A Great Guy Needs Our Help

Hi! My name is Carri, and I am raising funds to help my little brother, Byron Poteet, and his family with medical expenses. My brother is a cancer survivor. He quit smoking over 20 years ago and tries to take care of himself. He loves his wife Angie and his two children Colin and Kelcie. He is a great brother and a true friend. He is a great mechanic! Today, July 11, 2022, marks the beginning of Byron's 5th week in the hospital. On June 11, as he headed to work, he complained to Angie that he had a bit of a stomachache. In less than an hour, he was writhing in pain on the floor at his workplace. His best friend and coworker Paul Vanmeter immediately called Angie and transported Byron to the emergency department at the Medical Center in Bowling Green. Byron was diagnosed with pancreatitis, possibly caused by gallstones. He was admitted soon after. From there, things went downhill quickly. He went into multiple organ distress and was transferred to the CCU. His kidneys were shutting down, his lungs were filling with fluid, and he'd developed heart issues. Since entering the hospital, he'd lost his voice. An ENT diagnosed him with a paralyzed vocal cord. Our family reached out to family, his many friends, and our churches to ask for healing prayers.

Thankfully, his body began to react well to treatment and within a few days, he was moved out of CCU. By this time, though, he was very weak. We were hoping that he would be transferred to a rehabilitation center to recover his strength. Then he began having more severe belly pain. A scan revealed that he was developing cysts on his pancreas and that part of his pancreas had died. He was then transferred to TriStar Centennial Hospital in Nashville, Tennesse so that surgeons could evaluate his condition. The doctor told my sister-in-law that he has one of the worst cases of pancreatitis they have ever seen. The treatment will include allowing the cysts to harden and then drain them. His prognosis is promising, but he has a very long road ahead of him. Currently, Byron is at Centennial, but we are hoping that he will be transferred to a rehab center soon.

I have started this fundraising effort to assist him and his family in meeting daily expenses and to help with the hospital bills that will surely begin pouring in very soon. Thank you.