Help for Freddy and his family!

This is Freddy Smothers and his family. Freddy is a self-employed logger and was recently in a horrible accident at work and had to be med-flighted to a hospital in Illinois.  A tree "barber chaired" when he was cutting it. If you're not sure what this means, Google it. Freddy tried to run when the tree started to split and slipped on the hill. The tree hit him when it fell, breaking his tibia. They were able to repair the bone with a metal rod. The doctors compared his muscles and tendons to the aftermath of a grenade going off next to his leg. He had one surgery Friday, February 6th to put the rod in, and another one on February 8th to repair anything they could with the muscles and such. The doctors found that the main muscle that controls movement of his foot was dead from lack of blood and they had to cut it out. They are hoping that the smaller muscles that move his toes will reattach properly and help with some ankle movement as well. The doctors said that they will not know how much movement or how much he will be able to use that foot again for at least 4 to 6 months.   They also had to do a skin graft that day to patch the hole in his leg where the bone had poked through his skin. On February 9th, the nurse woke Freddy up at about 3 AM and told him that his blood count came back extremely low and they had to perform a blood transfusion.

Freddy does have medical insurance, however it is only accepted in Iowa and his accident was in Illinois, so none of his medical bills will be covered by insurance. They are trying to get him transferred to an Iowa hospital, but that wont happen until at least February 14th. That will be at least 9 days in the hospital, 3 surgeries (including the skin graft), the blood transfusion, ambulance ride and the med-flight that his family will be repsonsible for paying out of their pockets.

The doctors are saying that the soonest, if ever, that Fred will be able to go back to work will be a year. He loves logging. Unfortunately, due to this accident, he will probably never be able to return to this career.  This is going to create great financial hardships for his family. If everybody could keep them in your prayers, it will be greatly appreciated. If you are able and willing to donate anything to help them financially, that would be a huge help. The cost of all the medical bills that are continuing to pile up, raising 3 kids and just trying to keep a roof over their head and the utilities paid is going to cause them great stress.

Freddy's wife does in home daycare, but that will not even come close to paying the house payment and utilities. Please, help this family. They are the type that drop what they are doing to help anybody they can.