Dear Friends, Family, and Kind Strangers,

My name is Caitlin, and I am reaching out with an urgent plea for help. My son, Caspian, has faced many challenges since his birth, and we are humbly asking for your support to help us cover the costs of his necessary procedures and surgeries.

* Caspian’s Story *

Caspian was born with a rare condition called Tracheoesophageal Fistula with Esophageal Atresia (TEF/EA), where his esophagus didn’t connect to his stomach and instead connected to his windpipe. This affects 1 in 5,000 births. He had a successful surgery to repair it at one day old, but his journey is ongoing as children with TEF/EA have difficulty swallowing, severe acid reflux, Esophageal Strictures, and Tracheomalacia (a floppy airway).

A few weeks after being discharged from the hospital, Caspian had episodes where he’d turn blue and his oxygen levels would drop, leading us to call 911 multiple times. He was readmitted and placed on a ventilator due to respiratory failure. Despite initial reassurances, further tests revealed he had severe Tracheomalacia and his airway was 80% obstructed.

A CT scan showed that his brachiocephalic artery was compressing his trachea, leading to another surgery where they sewed the artery to his sternum (an Aortapexy). Since then, Caspian hasn't turned blue, for which we are grateful. He was discharged but readmitted due to swallowing issues, leading to a brief period with a feeding tube.

Now, Caspian is tube and monitor-free, which is a huge relief. However, his severe Tracheomalacia still causes breathing difficulties. After many prayers, discussions, and consultations, we will be traveling to the Esophageal & Airway Treatment Center at John Hopkins All Children’s in Florida for another surgery where the back of his trachea will be sewn to the ligaments of his spine (a Posterior Tracheopexy) to keep his airway open.

The costs associated with Caspian’s treatment and care are overwhelming. Despite having insurance, we are burdened with significant out-of-pocket expenses, including:

- Hospital stays and surgeries

- Medications and medical equipment

- Specialized care and consultations

- Travel expenses to and from the hospital, appointments, and therapy

- Everyday living expenses due to lost wages from taking time off work

We are asking for your help to raise money to cover these expenses and ensure that Caspian receives the best possible care. Any contribution, no matter how small, will make a tremendous difference in our journey to support Caspian through his surgeries and recovery.

* How You Can Help *

1. Donate: Any amount you can contribute will bring us closer to our goal and provide much-needed relief.

2. Share: Please share our story with your friends, family, and social networks. The more people who hear about our campaign, the greater our chances of reaching our goal.

3. Pray and Support: Your thoughts, prayers, and emotional support mean the world to us during this difficult time.

From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for your kindness, generosity, and support. Your help brings us hope and strength as we navigate this challenging journey with Caspian.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Caitlin & Carson

If you’d like updates on Caspian’s medical journey, click here to follow us on CaringBridge.