For someone as selfless, caring, and giving as her, asking this was extremely difficult and was our and her absolute LAST RESORT, but NANNY/MOM NEEDS ALL OF OUR HELP. Sadly, she has had a VERY ROUGH YEAR so far medically (which is ongoing) which has had a PROFOUND IMPACT ON HER DAILY LIFE AND FINANCES... We don't typically ask for help and will be paying it forward as soon as we are able...

After having several gallbladder attacks, in early February, she went to a local hospital in Syracuse for what was supposed to be a "routine" outpatient gallbladder removal due to it being inflamed from several large stones that were not themselves remove-able. While she was expecting to go home the same day, there were SEVERAL MAJOR COMPLICATIONS and she needed to be HOSPITALIZED FOR A FULL MONTH and recover at HOME FOR AN ADDITIONAL MONTH before returning to her full-time job (and due to the exhaustion, pain, etc she could only tolerate reduced hours at first)...

During the surgery, she SUFFERED SUDDEN FAILURE OF BOTH KIDNEYS (she had never had kidney problems before) and she NEEDED DIALYSIS for several weeks until they thankfully started working again (she is still recovering from this). She also has an ONGOING MAJOR BILE LEAK from her liver (the gallbladder is attached to the liver) that was a RARE AND UNEXPECTED SIDE EFFECT of the surgery and as a result STILL HAS TWO EXTERNAL BILE DRAINS which cause DAILY PAIN and that she must empty and flush (more painful) several times a day (2 separate semi-permanent tubes through her side - one through a TUNNEL MADE THROUGH HER LIVER - that drain the bile that collects in her abdomen and from her liver to reduce the amount that remains floating in her abdomen and the damage that it does to her organs)...

In addition to SEVERAL ADDITIONAL INVASIVE PROCEDURES (both in and outpatient), IMAGING SCANS, etc, she has needed COUNTLESS FOLLOW UP APPOINTMENTS with doctors locally and has recently HAD TO TRAVEL TO BOSTON for a second opinion on a resolution (which resulted in ANOTHER UNEXPECTED WEEK-LONG ADMISSION TO THE HOSPITAL only this time it was out of town and effectively ANOTHER WEEK HOME from work TO RECOVER)...

The (hopeful) resolution will require ANOTHER (this time MAJOR AND UNCOMMON) SURGERY to permanently relocate a portion of her intestines (!!) and attach them directly to the bile ducts/output of her liver so that hopefully the external drains can be removed. To give you a better idea of the COMPLEXITY AND RARITY of all of this, the Dr. in Boston that placed the drain tube through her liver is by all accounts "the best at this kind of interventional radiology procedure in all of New-England" at one of the BEST HOSPITALS IN THE COUNTRY and this was STILL THE FIRST TIME HE HAD PERFORMED THIS SPECIFIC PROCEDURE...

Her Surgeon in Boston is also one of the best in the country but to say that THIS NEXT SURGERY WILL BE AN EVEN BIGGER CHALLENGE FOR HER physically, emotionally, and financially, is an understatement. Due to the initial unplanned two month plus period of missed work, which ballooned to more than 3 months total when accounting for the follow ups, and additional hospitalization, etc, SHE HAS EXHAUSTED ALL OF HER PAID TIME OFF (including all of the time that was generously donated by her co-workers). She will need to take more UNPAID TIME OFF for this next surgery which is scheduled for the beginning of July and on top of all of these UNEXPECTED MEDICAL BILLS, will have MORE TRAVEL EXPENSES to get to and from Boston and to have at least ONE OF US STAY WITH HER IN BOSTON (the cheapest hotels are still not cheap) with her SO SHE IS NOT THERE ALONE...

These UNEXPECTED BILLS/EXPENSES AND UNPAID TIME OFF OF WORK have already put her ON THE BRINK OF FINANCIAL RUIN (she and we have exhausted all of our savings and available credit cards and are trying to sell what little unnecessary things of value that we have) and the NEW BILLS/EXPENSES AND UNPAID TIME OFF caused by this newly scheduled surgery WILL LIKELY PUSH HER OVER THE EDGE. We GREATLY APPRECIATE anything at all that you are able to contribute AND ANY PRAYERS to help her get back on her feet by help to minimize this financial burden to HELP HER FOCUS ON HER PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALING from this unexpected and prolonged ordeal...

The below photo is of her two drains and just SOME of the supplies that we go through on a daily or every-other-day basis to flush them and change the bandages, etc. Most of them are not covered by insurance and like everything else, they add up quickly...

From the bottom of all of our hearts, THANK YOU SO MUCH for any prayers and other support you can provide <3