Lauren's Medical Bills and Feeding Supplies Help

Sadly, we are needing some help. So we are Lacey and Michael, mom and dad to Lauren, our amazing 10 year old daughter, who was in the Rainbows Babies and Childrens hospital a lot in the last month. 4 ER trips and 2 admissions later, we are home. First was stomach issues and she was constipated and had an impacted bowel. Next was nausea and stomach pains. Both times she was refusing to eat or drink and getting dehydrated...all while she was struggling with some anxiety since April.

Come to discover she has been diagnosed with ARFID, an eating disorder unintentional to lose weight, no body image thoughts, and where her eating has not been as good the last 6 months and she was malnourished. She lost 20 pounds over the last 6 months and it has been due to anxiety and mental struggles that work in sync with gut and digestive issues.  Mental health is real and has now effected her where she needs a feeding tube in order to get the nutrition that her body needs to grow as it should. She had many emotional, terrifying, and life-changing experiences in the hospital. I even pushed to have scopes done to prove and make sure there was no actual digestive disease. All good.

She now is in eating therapy and also sees her regular counselor. She is set up with a psychiatrist to monitor her new medications as well a a gastroenterologist to monitor her bowel regularity and feeding tube. Her appts are about an hour away weekly and with mental health, most kids do better in person.

Our medical insurance will not cover any of her feeding supplies as she is eating by mouth and only is using the tube for nutrition that she cannot reach by mouth. Insurance will only cover if she is soley on the feeding tube and the goal is to get that out eventually. She is needing at least 4 Kids Boost Essentials 1.5  shakes a day and they are not cheap. We were not also able to get a pump or supplies for her feedings. Tube feeding supplies can add up fast. Bags are disposable even after washing, I can tell they get worn out and the tube flow isnt as good.

We also now have the max out of pocket with insurance to pay as well as to catch up on money my husband spent in gas coming nightly over an hour drive just to sleep with us in her room in the hospital. I was also out of work 3 weeks with no paid time off as I am a newer employee. Thank the Lord I work from home and Lauren is schooling online now. We have a schedule between her school, my work, her feeds, and appointments. This is life-changing and I am learning to take it moment by moment. Jesus is what has kept me going through this. We will get through this and look back and have an amazing story to tell. Lauren is struggling emotionally and mentally. We are hoping to see in the next couple of weeks if her meds are helping.  Mike and I are struggling financially after this and just waiting for the bills to roll in. We are getting her supplies for feeds on Amazon. I debated doing this and I hope and pray that we won't be judged for asking for help. I never thought I would ever actually make this page...just knew we were going to have a tough time. If anyone can help in any way, it would be appreciated.  One moment at a time, this too shall pass.