Katelyn's Battle: Intensive Treatment Needed

Hello friends, family, and those we may not know yet. Our names are Katelyn and Brandon, and we're reaching out to you with a heartfelt request. We're asking for your support to help Katelyn access the intensive mental health treatment she desperately needs to regain control of her life and to help us manage the mounting bills, medical and otherwise, associated with her care.

This will come as a surprise to some, but Katelyn has been bravely battling severe mental health challenges for nearly a decade. After a long and difficult journey, we finally have a diagnosis: a complex combination of OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), PTSD, and ADHD. While the ADHD went undiagnosed in her childhood, the OCD and PTSD surfaced after an incredibly difficult year. Within a short period, she endured the loss of four close family members (one to breast cancer), faced a terrifying breast cancer scare herself, experienced two separate incidents that left her deeply afraid for her personal safety, and tragically, lost her beloved dog to wolves while we were living in Alaska.

The weight of these events was overwhelming. She was slowly consumed by grief and fear, and life began to spiral out of control. What started as subtle changes quickly escalated, and within a few years, Katelyn was struggling to function in everyday life. When it was at its worst, she could not work or leave the house, was washing her hands until they bled, was unable to sit on any piece of furniture or enter certain spaces, and could not touch or be touched by me or anything I had touched. I once left to move a close friend who had no one else to help and returned 7 hours later to find her in a triggered state-her heart racing, body shaking and rocking back and forth, and terror etched across her face. After working with her to calm down, I learned that she had been stuck in that dark and desperate place since I left that morning, standing in one spot the whole time. I had to significantly reduce my work hours over time and eventually quit working altogether to become her full-time caregiver.

But Katelyn is a fighter. She dedicated herself to finding the right support and put in tremendous effort to overcome her challenges. She made incredible progress. Katelyn returned to work, went back to school, completed a research project in Finland, and earned another degree in Animal Welfare—her true passion. She was actively pursuing a career change, building a brighter future, and trying to kick OCD once and for all.

However, the cruel reality of OCD is that it's a constant battle. About six months ago, Katelyn encountered her biggest trigger yet, and it felt like all the hard-won progress vanished in an instant. The anxiety and intrusive thoughts returned with a vengeance, again making everyday tasks like working, leaving the house, or even preparing a meal often feel impossible. Despite her tireless efforts to use the coping mechanisms she's learned in therapy and my taking two months of medical leave to support her, she is struggling, and we see her slipping further into despair.

With how desperate the situation has become, this time around we are looking at much more intensive treatment to regain control of her life. This looks like specialty intensive inpatient or outpatient programs. There are a few options for this. However, all are expensive, not well covered by insurance, and out of state. We have picked a program in Denver in part because it is the least expensive program designed to meet the needs of people struggling with combined OCD/PTSD, but equally important, they also seem like great people that Katelyn believes can meet her needs. Both of which are essential for us to be able to move forward with our lives.

This means more family medical leave for me, driving to Denver with our dogs, securing lodging near the clinic, and Katelyn participating in three weeks of intensive outpatient therapy. We’ve exhausted our resources. We’ve sold everything of value, from bikes and skis to coats and cameras, and have accumulated significant debt to cover immediate expenses. I’ve worked multiple part-time jobs in addition to my teaching position. But balancing work with the demands of being a supportive partner and caregiver has become increasingly difficult, especially as Katelyn’s needs grow. And taking more medical leave to be there through this process will only leave us struggling that much more. We simply can’t continue this path alone.

We know this is a difficult time for many, but any contribution you can make, no matter how small, will bring us closer to getting Katelyn the help she needs to heal and reclaim her life. The funds raised will directly support Katelyn's recovery in the following ways:

Detailed Cost Breakdown:

Catching Up:

Treatment Costs:

Grand Total

$11,000-$940 (from people that have donated directly since the campaign start)

=$10,060

Please consider donating and sharing our story with your network. Your support means the world to us.

We are eternally grateful for your consideration, and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

With love,

Katelyn and Brandon

P.S. If you or anyone you know is struggling with something that sounds like OCD, or if you want to learn more, I strongly encourage you to look at the International OCD Foundation’s website. You might not only find answers but save a life, too.

https://iocdf.org/ocd-finding-help/other-resources/