Dear friends,

I’m writing this on behalf of my sister and brother-in-law, Jessica and Cody, who are far too proud to ever ask for help (and I’m hoping they don’t kill me for posting this on their behalf). Jessica and Cody are loving parents to two children - an awesome 10-year-old son and a sweet 2-year-old toddler - and they recently welcomed their third baby, at 30 weeks, under very difficult circumstances.

Jessica is a wonderful pediatric oncology nurse who has spent years caring for other people’s children and families with extraordinary compassion and dedication. Earlier this year, Cody lost his full-time job due to company-wide cuts. He is a newer realtor and has been working to build his career. They were managing to stay afloat on her income when, in June, she found out she was pregnant. What should have been a joyful time quickly became overwhelming, as it turned into a very high-risk pregnancy.

Throughout the pregnancy, Jessica was diagnosed with a very dangerous condition that caused significant and ongoing bleeding. Because of the severity of the situation, she was taken out of work completely and eventually hospitalized prior to delivery to keep both her and the baby safe. During this entire time, Cody has never left her side - advocating for her care, comforting her through the hardest moments, and at the same time keeping their family at home informed, reassured, and comforted as best he could.

Jessica delivered via C-section less than a week ago, but due to complications, she has continued to experience a great deal of pain and has had to undergo several procedures since delivering, Because the baby was born prematurely, she will remain in the NICU for the next month and a half. Jessica will also remain hospitalized until she is medically stable and able to be discharged. They have a long road ahead, and it’s going to take a lot of strength, love, and support to navigate the next several weeks and months.

They were just beginning to regain their footing after complications from her previous delivery - which had already kept her out of work for an extended period of time - when they were faced with this new and unexpected challenge. With the holidays approaching, my hope is simply to help ease some of the burden so they can focus on healing, loving their children, and getting through this season one day at a time.

Due to the amount of medical intervention needed this far, we know they will need additional support, for medical bills and personal/house bills. If you feel compelled to give, we would appreciate it more than you can imagine! Can’t donate? That’s okay! Sharing this means just as much.

Jessica has spent so many years caring for others during their most difficult moments. It would mean the world to be able to care for her and her family during theirs.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and for any support you may be able to offer.

Merry Christmas!