Medical Bills and Memorials for the Kruse Family

In September we learned that we were expecting a baby in May 2024. We were over the moon when we found out that it would be another boy at a gender reveal party over Thanksgiving weekend. We started to nest, plan, and envision our lives as a family of 4. One week later on December 1, what was supposed to be a routine 16-week appointment turned into a nightmare as we learned that our baby boy had no heartbeat and stopped growing at 14 weeks. We were blindsided as the possibility of losing him was so unlikely since we made it to the second trimester.

What followed was a whirlwind of scans and consultations that ultimately led to a D&E procedure to remove the baby. Since Jacob changed jobs this year and we've been relatively healthy, we were nowhere near meeting our deductible. The procedure went well, but the cost along with the other expenses associated with it will exceed our deductible and out-of-pocket maximum with just 3 weeks left before we start another plan year.

We decided to name our boy Theo Leon Kruse. Theo for his great-grandfather Theodore "Ted" Johnson as well as meaning "God's gift," and Leon for his great-great-uncle who passed in infancy and has been a family name on Jacob's maternal side. We plan to purchase and dedicate a memorial bench in Altoona as well as plant a tree in our backyard over Mother's Day weekend in honor of Theo's memory and due date.

We truly appreciate any support you can provide to help cover our medical bills and memorialize Theo. We know times are hard and do not wish for anyone to give beyond what is comfortable. We are so grateful for the ways that our friends, family, and community have already surrounded us with love and support in these early weeks of grieving. It meant so much to us how everyone rejoiced with us when we shared the news that we were expecting, and it is the greatest comfort to have our loved ones grieve alongside us. We feel so very loved.

-Jacob, Karla, and Jack Kruse