I'm raising this fundraiser for my husband, Keith, after a terrifying medical emergency turned our lives upside down.

What first seemed like a summer cold became something far more serious when his fever would not break. We went to the emergency room and were told he had strep throat, and he was sent home with two prescriptions. By the very next day, he was even worse, so we rushed back to the ER. That is when we learned that bacteria had entered his bloodstream and spread throughout his body, and that he was also having a severe chemical reaction to the medicine. He was transferred from Tampa to the Burn ICU in Bradenton, where he was diagnosed with Stevens-Johnson syndrome. Because of the outbreak across his body, he had to have surgery with a plastic surgeon.

This has been heartbreaking to witness. I've been crying every day, even though I try not to do it in front of Keith because I want to stay strong for him. I know he is distraught about how he looks right now. He does not look like himself, and we are both trying to take this one day at a time while staying grateful that he is still here with us.

Once Keith is released from the hospital, I will be taking a leave of absence from work so I can stay home with him, care for him, and make sure he is never alone during this healing journey. Donations will help us make sure he can see a dermatologist and get the aftercare equipment he needs as he recovers.

If you are able to give or share this fundraiser, it would mean so much to us. Your support will help me be there for Keith and help him get the care he needs as he heals.