Hello! My name is Perri Pulido. My mother, Kathie Peterson, and I are hoping to raise money to help support my father, Michael Peterson, through some serious medical complications that have developed over the past year. During the fall of 2024, Michael began suffering from a variety of concerning symptoms, such as severe lethargy, dramatic weight loss, severe dizziness, and a variety of gastrointestinal issues. After multiple tests and a variety of hospital trips, doctors discovered that Michael was suffering from genetic liver failure. As a man who never indulged in alcohol in an abusive manner, this diagnosis was shocking and difficult for the whole family to process. Over the past nine months, he has experienced several falls that inevitably led to bleeding on his brain and the requirement of a craniotomy and regular hospital stays. Between the rising ammonia levels that Michael struggles with daily and the ongoing recovery from these falls, Michael has not been able to work since last year, and my mother, Kathie, has become his full-time caregiver.

Even in the face of this daunting life experience, Michael and Kathie have done what they can to fight this disease and plan to attempt a liver transplant in New Orleans later this year. While living in Lafayette, they have regularly made three-hour drives one way just to have specific tests performed, and if Michael is approved for the transplant later this year, they will need to stay in New Orleans for several months for monitoring and continued testing.

Between the daily cost of Michael's current care within the skilled nursing facility, regular expenses at home, and impending surgery expenses, we are hoping to reach out to family and friends of Michael to help ease the financial burden this year has created. You may have seen a previous GoFundMe page created by another family member, and if you were able to contribute to that one instead, we are sincerely grateful. All funds from this page and the previous one will be used to help provide Michael with the care that he desperately needs right now.

This past year has been an uphill battle for our family, and we will need additional support to help give Michael his best chance at many more years with his devoted wife, daughter, and loving grandchildren. Please help support him and Kathie through this difficult time.