On Sat., Feb. 8, Dereck started running a fever. What we thought was the flu soon turned into something much worse. By the following Monday, what was just a fever turned into very slurred speech and not being able to walk or sit up straight. With those insane symptoms, he was still trying to make sure he got his dad taken care of. After much insistence from the people worried sick, he went to urgent care where he had a fever of 105.4. They thought their thermometer was malfunctioning. He was then rushed to the E.R. and treated for sepsis. After every test possible, it was determined he had 2 mini-strokes and a staph infection, which was later found to be MRSA. Where he picked it up, who knows, but a perfect storm situation. The infection attacked his spleen, brain, and more devastatingly, his heart. He will most likely need a valve replaced, but as of now, a surgery of that magnitude with the amount of infection in his body is too risky. They will reconsider after he is fully cleared of infection in his blood for 3 weeks. Yesterday was day 1 testing negative. He will be out of work for a minimum of 6 weeks when he leaves here, but who knows when that will be. Poor guy has been through a lot but still attempts to make sure everyone else is OK. He is definitely the type of guy who would give the shirt off his back even if he had nothing to wear. But at the moment, he is in need of help himself. The hospital is unfortunately still in disagreement with United Healthcare (his insurance), so this stay is not being covered. We will be applying for all the assistance through the hospital, but he still has a very long road ahead. If you even donate a penny, the gratitude that this sweet bearded man would feel would be giant. Please don't hesitate to share with everyone. And thank you from the bottom of my heart.