Help Garrett Crocker

My 15 year old nephew, Garrett is currently in Saint Louis Children’s Hospital. He is diabetic and has undergone two fairly extensive surgeries to remove staph infections resulting in a very long journey to recovery. The Crockers will be spending the majority of the month of February in the hospital and expenses are quickly adding up.

Garrett’s first visit to Children’s’ Hospital began the week of the 9th.  He was having severe pain in his lower back and in his arm. After three grueling days of tests, MRIs, and visits with the doctors, Garrett was dismissed late the following Tuesday. Doctors chalked it up to a strained muscle in his backside and the Crockers were told to have Garrett take it easy.

Unfortunately, one week later Garrett continued to have severe pain, and Ibuprofen was not alleviating the problem. Jimmy and Kennis decided to take Garrett to the hospital in Columbia, MO for a second opinion where the problem was discovered.  Garrett tested positive for staph from his visit in Saint Louis, but his parents were never informed of the culture’s positive results. In fact, had they not brought Garrett in again, he would not have lived for very much longer.

Due to the weather not cooperating in order for him to fly to Saint Louis, he was transferred to Saint Louis Children’s Hospital by ambulance. The neurosurgeon informed Jimmy and Kennis that he had three patients needing surgery at the same time and that he would take first the one who needed it the most—Garrett went first. He went into surgery for over three hours whereupon they had to permanently remove two vertebrae to get to the abscess. Without the surgery to remove the staph infection, Garrett would not survive. A second surgery a day later had the doctors removing a second abscess hiding in the muscle of his arm at the elbow.

Finally, by Thursday, the 20th, he was able to rest and start his journey to recovery. He was able to leave the intensive care unit and find a temporary home on another floor. He is expected to stay at least one more week in the hospital to be closely monitored as he recovers from these extensive surgeries. During all of this craziness, Jimmy and Kennis have been by his side comforting him and making life and death decisions without batting an eye. Due to these long hospital stays, Jimmy has not been able to work or earn an income. Additionally, they have to purchase meals three times a day. Friends and family have helped out when possible; however, additional monetary help would be much appreciated!

If you are able to help in anyway, even an anonymous donation of $5, $10, or even $20, the burden of expenses will be lifted with your support. If a monetary contribution is not something you are able to provide, please consider Garrett’s long journey to recovery once home and help out with providing meals, cards, prayers, and any form of encouragement. If you would like to send something to him either at the hospital or at home, please contact me privately for an address. If you can donate funds, I am collecting via PayPal and will be able to transfer all donations to the Crockers via The Bank of Salem in Salem, MO. These funds will be used to cover meals as well as income for the family during their stay at the hospital. Thank you so much!