Help Us Help Kaelin Lamberson UPDATED
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THE UPDATED STORY
After taking Kaelin to the ER and admitting her to the hospital, where she was diagnosed with Diabetes (Type One, a lifetime of insulin) and then also with Hyoshi Thyroid (requiring a minimum of two years' worth of treatment), we brought her home knowing that there was a third condition the doctors were investigating. Today the other shoe dropped, and we now know she also has Addison's Disease, which affects her adrenal glands. Addison's Disease will also require a lifetime of treatment (and often leads to misdiagnoses of Anorexia... another mystery solved). She did not take the news well, but at least now the doctors have identified the triumvirate of illnesses her body is fighting. We are looking into different types of financial assistance, but as we all know, the wheels turn slowly.
THE SHORT STORY
In a terrifyingly short span of time, our 13-year-old daughter Kaelin has developed a serious and life threatening eating disorder. Life changes on a dime, and total upheaval can come just like *that*. My wife is currently on unemployment and has been going on interviews, and my freelance work is erratic and unreliable. Even if we were both working, helping our daughter recover from this would become our full time job. Fortunately, her medical expenses are covered, but last week our grocery bill tripled, mostly on food that will go uneaten, just to get Kaelin to eat a few bites. Sleepless nights, a frustrating dietary routine, and all around fear and stress have taken their toll on all three of us, and our current situation is unsustainable. We're looking to offset our usual financial burden so we can concentrate on what we need to do. If you can help us, great, we really appreciate it; if you can't, we fully understand. What we're not asking for is advice: we're working with doctors, therapists, counselors, and a psychiatrist, and we're adhering to the plans laid out for us by these professionals. Every kid dealing with this is different, and so are their anxieties. Thank you in advance.
THE LONG STORY
Our daughter is a wonderful kid: smart, funny, caring, talented. Her only friends at school have moved away, and she is ostracized by her other classmates, teased and bullied: if you have ever met her, you would be shocked to learn that she is the kid who sits alone in the cafeteria.
Two weeks ago, we took Kaelin to the doctor because she was complaining of shortness of breath. We thought maybe it was asthma. The doctor was pleased to see Kaelin had grown 3" over the last year, but noted she had not put on any weight. She prescribed health shakes and high caloric foods, and scheduled a follow up appointment for one month later. At this point, there was reason for concern but not alarm. We put her on the shakes, monitored her meals, and followed the doctor's advice.
Just one week later, I had to bring Kaelin home from school because swimming class had left her feeling exhausted. We went straight back to the doctor. Since Kaelin had been drinking her shakes and recommended foods, we fully expected to see an improvement in her weight. Instead she had lost another 5 lbs. She also had low blood pressure and a fast heartbeat - signs of anxiety. It was now clear our daughter had developed an eating disorder.
Identifying the problem only made the problem worse... much worse: beginning that same night and continuing for the next two days, Kaelin gagged and vomited food as soon as she ate it. I spent triple our usual grocery budget and Tamar specially prepared her meals, but she wasn't eating the food. She also stayed up all night dry heaving the one miniscule meal she had managed to keep down all weekend. This sudden turn was drastic and terrifying.
Monday - just three days after our last visit - we went back to the doctor's and met with a counselor. At this point we were all stressed out. She had lost another 3 lbs. Her body has used up all of its body fat, and isn't getting the nutrition it needs to function. When the body isn't taking in nutrients, neither is the brain, leading to all kinds of strain and drama.
On Tuesday, we sent her back to school and made plans to meet with the principal and counselor to coordinate them with the counselor and doctor at the pediatricians' (at this point, her doctor and counselor had yet to coordinate as well). Half an hour later, the principal called me because a teacher had found Kaelin laying on the hallway floor - conscious, but exhausted (mentally, anyway). We had our meeting then, which was productive, then went back to the doctors', where we met with the doctor and the counselor. Also productive.
I fully expected her to be sent to the hospital, but that didn't happen. We have been given strict dietary and behavioral guidelines to administer, and she will see this counselor once a week, and the counselor is referring us to a therapist who will also see her once a week, and she will be working closely with the school, who are creating all sorts of routines for her; she will be eating six meals a day, all loaded with calories, most of which need to be specially prepared; and we will be going to her school to supervise her lunches. Every meal, every bite, is now an ordeal. Our lives have become centered around counting calories.
Today (Tuesday) we took her to school - all of our professionals say she needs to maintain a normal schedule - and walked her inside: she sat on the sidewalk four times before we got her inside. There is no emotional relief from this situation, it is there 24/7. We're doing everything that needs to be done. Fortunately, her medical expenses are covered. All of this food that is largely going to waste is not, and I am hoping to reduce some of our stress by relieving some of our usual financial burdens. If you can help out, that would be great; I've certainly contributed to other folks' campaigns even when I couldn't afford it. If you can't, we completely understand - times are tough all over, for everyone. It isn't pleasant airing a family crisis in public, but in this case it's necessary.
What we don't want is any advice on what to feed our daughter or how to coax her into eating during this frightening and dangerous time - we're working with health professionals and taking his very seriously, and don't want any home remedies or "sure-thing"cures that have worked for others - every child is different, and we're following doctor's orders. I'm also leaving this campaign on my personal timeline, and ask that it not be shared - we're putting it out there for our friends and family only.
After taking Kaelin to the ER and admitting her to the hospital, where she was diagnosed with Diabetes (Type One, a lifetime of insulin) and then also with Hyoshi Thyroid (requiring a minimum of two years' worth of treatment), we brought her home knowing that there was a third condition the doctors were investigating. Today the other shoe dropped, and we now know she also has Addison's Disease, which affects her adrenal glands. Addison's Disease will also require a lifetime of treatment (and often leads to misdiagnoses of Anorexia... another mystery solved). She did not take the news well, but at least now the doctors have identified the triumvirate of illnesses her body is fighting. We are looking into different types of financial assistance, but as we all know, the wheels turn slowly.
THE SHORT STORY
In a terrifyingly short span of time, our 13-year-old daughter Kaelin has developed a serious and life threatening eating disorder. Life changes on a dime, and total upheaval can come just like *that*. My wife is currently on unemployment and has been going on interviews, and my freelance work is erratic and unreliable. Even if we were both working, helping our daughter recover from this would become our full time job. Fortunately, her medical expenses are covered, but last week our grocery bill tripled, mostly on food that will go uneaten, just to get Kaelin to eat a few bites. Sleepless nights, a frustrating dietary routine, and all around fear and stress have taken their toll on all three of us, and our current situation is unsustainable. We're looking to offset our usual financial burden so we can concentrate on what we need to do. If you can help us, great, we really appreciate it; if you can't, we fully understand. What we're not asking for is advice: we're working with doctors, therapists, counselors, and a psychiatrist, and we're adhering to the plans laid out for us by these professionals. Every kid dealing with this is different, and so are their anxieties. Thank you in advance.
THE LONG STORY
Our daughter is a wonderful kid: smart, funny, caring, talented. Her only friends at school have moved away, and she is ostracized by her other classmates, teased and bullied: if you have ever met her, you would be shocked to learn that she is the kid who sits alone in the cafeteria.
Two weeks ago, we took Kaelin to the doctor because she was complaining of shortness of breath. We thought maybe it was asthma. The doctor was pleased to see Kaelin had grown 3" over the last year, but noted she had not put on any weight. She prescribed health shakes and high caloric foods, and scheduled a follow up appointment for one month later. At this point, there was reason for concern but not alarm. We put her on the shakes, monitored her meals, and followed the doctor's advice.
Just one week later, I had to bring Kaelin home from school because swimming class had left her feeling exhausted. We went straight back to the doctor. Since Kaelin had been drinking her shakes and recommended foods, we fully expected to see an improvement in her weight. Instead she had lost another 5 lbs. She also had low blood pressure and a fast heartbeat - signs of anxiety. It was now clear our daughter had developed an eating disorder.
Identifying the problem only made the problem worse... much worse: beginning that same night and continuing for the next two days, Kaelin gagged and vomited food as soon as she ate it. I spent triple our usual grocery budget and Tamar specially prepared her meals, but she wasn't eating the food. She also stayed up all night dry heaving the one miniscule meal she had managed to keep down all weekend. This sudden turn was drastic and terrifying.
Monday - just three days after our last visit - we went back to the doctor's and met with a counselor. At this point we were all stressed out. She had lost another 3 lbs. Her body has used up all of its body fat, and isn't getting the nutrition it needs to function. When the body isn't taking in nutrients, neither is the brain, leading to all kinds of strain and drama.
On Tuesday, we sent her back to school and made plans to meet with the principal and counselor to coordinate them with the counselor and doctor at the pediatricians' (at this point, her doctor and counselor had yet to coordinate as well). Half an hour later, the principal called me because a teacher had found Kaelin laying on the hallway floor - conscious, but exhausted (mentally, anyway). We had our meeting then, which was productive, then went back to the doctors', where we met with the doctor and the counselor. Also productive.
I fully expected her to be sent to the hospital, but that didn't happen. We have been given strict dietary and behavioral guidelines to administer, and she will see this counselor once a week, and the counselor is referring us to a therapist who will also see her once a week, and she will be working closely with the school, who are creating all sorts of routines for her; she will be eating six meals a day, all loaded with calories, most of which need to be specially prepared; and we will be going to her school to supervise her lunches. Every meal, every bite, is now an ordeal. Our lives have become centered around counting calories.
Today (Tuesday) we took her to school - all of our professionals say she needs to maintain a normal schedule - and walked her inside: she sat on the sidewalk four times before we got her inside. There is no emotional relief from this situation, it is there 24/7. We're doing everything that needs to be done. Fortunately, her medical expenses are covered. All of this food that is largely going to waste is not, and I am hoping to reduce some of our stress by relieving some of our usual financial burdens. If you can help out, that would be great; I've certainly contributed to other folks' campaigns even when I couldn't afford it. If you can't, we completely understand - times are tough all over, for everyone. It isn't pleasant airing a family crisis in public, but in this case it's necessary.
What we don't want is any advice on what to feed our daughter or how to coax her into eating during this frightening and dangerous time - we're working with health professionals and taking his very seriously, and don't want any home remedies or "sure-thing"cures that have worked for others - every child is different, and we're following doctor's orders. I'm also leaving this campaign on my personal timeline, and ask that it not be shared - we're putting it out there for our friends and family only.
Organizer
Gregory Lamberson
Organizer
Buffalo, NY