For those of you who recognize my handsome boys, you see a graphic designer, a brother, a friend, a stepfather, my son, and my husband. As a family, we have weathered more than our share of storms — some life-altering, some just plain exhausting — but we always faced them together. This storm is different.
On April 3rd, Billy went to the ER for abdominal pain. We were told he had gallstones and extremely elevated liver enzymes. They began preparing him for surgery, but said they needed to confirm “one last thing.” Fifteen minutes later, he was discharged due to not having health insurance. The following day, an ambulance brought him to another hospital, where we learned it wasn’t just gallstones. He had a blocked bile duct and an infection somewhere in his body.
The Cliff Notes version of the weeks that followed: gangrenous gallbladder, blocked bile duct, severe infection, much of his pancreas is necrotized, edema surrounding his pancreas and lungs, narrowing of the duodenum making it difficult to eat, feeding tube, three different hospitals, countless procedures and complications. Since April 3rd, my husband has been home for a total of one week.
Those of you who know Billy know he is famous for his horrible dad jokes and endless puns. This is a man who could network computers at work without blinking — and now gets overwhelmed trying to use his phone because, in his words, “Why are there so many icons?” I truly don’t know what the future holds for his health, but I do know that the financial strain is overwhelming. We have lost his income entirely, and the medical bills continue to climb. At this point, I’m fairly certain I could have purchased a private jet for less.
It is incredibly humbling and honestly embarrassing for me to ask for help. Still, I am doing it out of absolute necessity — especially for our son, so I can continue to keep a roof over his head and so my husband has somewhere to come home to. Donations will help cover rent and medical bills, keeping a roof over our family's head while Billy recovers and helping us manage the overwhelming financial strain from his ongoing care. If you can help, thank you from the bottom of my heart. If you are not able to donate, please keep Billy in your thoughts and prayers.
On April 3rd, Billy went to the ER for abdominal pain. We were told he had gallstones and extremely elevated liver enzymes. They began preparing him for surgery, but said they needed to confirm “one last thing.” Fifteen minutes later, he was discharged due to not having health insurance. The following day, an ambulance brought him to another hospital, where we learned it wasn’t just gallstones. He had a blocked bile duct and an infection somewhere in his body.
The Cliff Notes version of the weeks that followed: gangrenous gallbladder, blocked bile duct, severe infection, much of his pancreas is necrotized, edema surrounding his pancreas and lungs, narrowing of the duodenum making it difficult to eat, feeding tube, three different hospitals, countless procedures and complications. Since April 3rd, my husband has been home for a total of one week.
Those of you who know Billy know he is famous for his horrible dad jokes and endless puns. This is a man who could network computers at work without blinking — and now gets overwhelmed trying to use his phone because, in his words, “Why are there so many icons?” I truly don’t know what the future holds for his health, but I do know that the financial strain is overwhelming. We have lost his income entirely, and the medical bills continue to climb. At this point, I’m fairly certain I could have purchased a private jet for less.
It is incredibly humbling and honestly embarrassing for me to ask for help. Still, I am doing it out of absolute necessity — especially for our son, so I can continue to keep a roof over his head and so my husband has somewhere to come home to. Donations will help cover rent and medical bills, keeping a roof over our family's head while Billy recovers and helping us manage the overwhelming financial strain from his ongoing care. If you can help, thank you from the bottom of my heart. If you are not able to donate, please keep Billy in your thoughts and prayers.
Organizer
