On March 31st, Travis began having severe pain in his upper left leg and groin area—so intense that it became difficult for him to even walk. We went to the ER at Stafford Hospital, where we were told it was cellulitis and sent home with antibiotics.

Over the next couple of days, his condition only worsened. The pain became so severe that he could barely get out of bed. On April 2nd, we went to Mary Washington Hospital, where they confirmed it was cellulitis and that he had become septic. He was admitted immediately and treated with IV antibiotics, staying in the hospital until April 5th before being discharged with a follow-up plan.

Even after coming home, he was still in a lot of pain. Then early in the morning on April 6th, around 3 a.m., an abscess that had gone unnoticed suddenly ruptured and began continuously draining. We rushed back to the ER at Mary Washington Hospital for the third time.

After additional bloodwork and another CT scan, doctors found a fluid pocket and swelling spreading toward his scrotum. He was admitted again, and within hours, the surgical team informed us he needed immediate surgery. They removed the abscess and infected tissue, leaving the area open so it can heal properly. Once he is discharged, the wound will need to be packed and cared for daily.

Because of this, Travis will be out of work for at least a couple of weeks, up to a month and even when he returns, he won’t be able to perform many of his usual duties for some time depending on how his recovery goes.

Right now, Travis is our only source of income, as I stay home with our daughter who is not yet in school and also going to be taking care of Travis too during his recovery. This situation has put a huge financial strain on our family, and we are doing everything we can to stay afloat during this time.

If you are able to help in any way—whether it’s donating or simply sharing this—we would be incredibly grateful. Thank you for taking the time to read our story and for any support you can give during this difficult time.