In March 2025 Amanda began to experience extreme acute pain following food intake lasting a few hours up to a week. Pain levels have been debilitating and prevent her from being able to perform any sort of daily routine or tasks including work.

With symptoms getting worse with each flare up she soon ended up having multiple day stays in Emergency Departments and has also been hospitalized on multiple occasions. Each time, medical teams could not find a diagnosis explaining her pain so she was held in the facility under what they described as “observation” status. Controlling the pain during these agonizing and acute episodes is not something you can do at home so pain control in the hospital is required.

While in this status insurance pays for minimal to none of the treatment. Many of the medications they tried were also paid for out of pocket. Amanda had recently started a new job with limited benefits and no PTO.

Being unable to eat solids for extended periods, she was reliant on meal replacement shakes to supply her body with the nutrition needed. Insurance also covers Zero of that expense.

The numbers have soared and are all expected to be paid out of pocket. Just in the last two weeks another $18,000 was denied for two procedures she has gone through during this experience. With multiple exploration procedures done, visits to specialists at 6 different campuses and several weeks of missed work, she was finally referred to Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minnesota.

Recently Amanda had to miss another week of work to doctor there. With appointments and testing scheduled around the clock she had to stay near the hospital and endure the expense of a hotel during that week she was there. Amanda has several upcoming consultations and procedures scheduled that again will leave her unable to attend work and again have to endure the cost of commuting.

The Karlens have coached two generations of local little league baseball players, youth basketball players and over the last few years the youth tackle football players. They’ve volunteered at community events such as the fourth of July celebrations and organized

benefits for others in their greatest time of need. Let’s please all pull together and help these folks out and return some of the good to them that they’ve shown others.

Any donations will help ease the financial burden this has all put upon them. All raised will be put directly towards the medical expenses already owed and to help offset some of the several weeks wages that have already been lost while unable to work.

They’ll appreciate you all greatly I’m sure.