A Little “Pixie Dust” for Kristen

The following is a story that has touched hearts from Cincinnati to Charlotte, Saratoga Springs to San Jose, Cleveland to Clearwater, Biloxi to Seattle and beyond. With a “news” cycle saturated with a volatile political culture, environmental tragedies, and a worldwide pandemic, this story has moved hearts in support of a young family in Kokomo, IN. This beautiful family was, like so many other families, just living life one day, then having their lives completely turned upside down and inside out the next.  They live in Kokomo, IN where dad, Eric,  commutes an hour each way to work the night shift; mom, Kristen, works at the local hospital during the day; their oldest son, Tyler, is in his Senior year, and the youngest, Liam, just started middle school.   On August 7, Kristen went for some tests at her hospital, was immediately sent to Indianapolis where she was admitted with a devastating diagnosis of Stage 4 colorectal cancer, with liver metastasis and blood clots in her lungs.  Her doctors were throwing out words like “inoperable” and “terminal” to a 44 year old wife and mother.  She went home to try to wrap her head around this new reality, to talk with her boys and family, and then consider her options.   On September 1, she sat through 6 hours of chemo, then was sent home with another 42 hours infusing into her port with the hope of shrinking the liver metastasis as well as the mass in her colon with the long term goal of surgery to remove the tumor in her colon.   Just when you think things can’t get any worse - the day Eric was going to take her back to the oncologist to have the infusion disconnected on September 3, she got a call from a trauma nurse in Lafayette telling her Eric had been the victim of a head-on crash and had been taken to the hospital trauma center.  She did not know his condition.  Early that morning, on his way home from work he had been hit head-on by another driver passing a car on a blind curve with a double yellow line.   Eric is Kristen’s rock.  He was by her side and taking care of her each step of each day.  No one can fill those shoes. Now she couldn’t even go to him in his darkest hour because of the COVID restrictions and her suppressed immune system. At this posting, Eric survived the collision with two fractured tibias and kneecaps, fractured ribs and sternum.  He has had surgery for plates and screws in both legs and will require knee replacements after that heals.  He remains in the hospital and will be transferred from the hospital to a transitional care facility until his ribs heal and then will be sent to a rehabilitation center for 6-7 hours of physical therapy daily. After spending days just trying to navigate through all of the issues she now is faced with, Kristen said “I sure would like to see a little pixie dust sprinkled this way”.  She maintains and injects her wry sense of humor and beautiful laugh when you know her heart is heavy. Through no fault of their own and with no control of their situation, Eric and Kristen each have a very long road ahead.  With the loss of both incomes and mounting medical bills on top of normal family expenses, this sweet family is in need of immediate and immense support. Their story is both heartbreaking and relatable. It is a story to make anyone pause to consider what is really important with a whole new perspective. Kristen was diagnosed the same week that Chadwick Boseman lost his battle with colorectal cancer. A deadly diagnosis that has become much too prevalent now in a younger population. The added tragedy of Eric’s accident with the ensuing separation and isolation because of the Coronavirus has stolen all that was precious to this young family. Please give whatever your heart tells you and pass this to as many people as you can.   We can do this - together as a community of kindness and compassion. Blessings - thank you