As many of you know, Braxtyn’s health took a serious turn earlier this year, which meant both Ricky and I had to take a significant amount of unpaid leave from work between January and now. Any working parent can understand how tough losing that kind of income can be on a family.

A few friends have kindly asked if we had a GoFundMe set up, and to be honest, it hadn’t even crossed our minds. Asking for help doesn't come naturally to us — but thanks to the gentle encouragement of a dear friend, we’ve decided to put this out there. Please know we don’t expect anything, but we’re incredibly grateful for any support.

The good news is that Braxtyn’s surgery went well, and he’s now on the road to recovery. What we didn’t anticipate, however, were the ongoing costs involved in monitoring his blood coagulation. He now needs to have his INR levels tested twice a day to ensure he’s getting the correct dose of Warfarin. The test strips alone cost $179 for a pack of 24 — which adds up quickly.

Unfortunately, Braxtyn won’t be able to return to school for at least another eight weeks. Once the school holidays end, we’ll be back to juggling care between us. Ricky is even considering switching to night shifts to make sure one of us can always be home with him and we can stop the financial bleeding.

We’re sharing this for those who have already reached out and anyone else who may want to help in any small way. Your support has already meant the world to us, and we truly can’t thank you enough.