Mother of 3 special needs children needs our help

My sister Heather, is a single mother of 3 girls, all suffering from serious medical conditions no mother should ever have to witness their child(ren) endure.

Lexie is the oldest at 21, she has been the only extra financial help Heather has had as she was working at Walgreens, but she just recently accepted another position at CVS and was about to start orientation.

Last night, 21-year-old Lexie had a massive stroke which was due to a myxoma tumor in her heart. Pieces were breaking off and traveling to her brain which caused the stroke. Today she had open-heart surgery to remove the tumor. As I type this, my sister just messaged me to tell me that she’s out of surgery but we have no other information as of yet. Ramifications of the stroke are to be determined but the doctors are expecting physical therapy, medications, and a lot of future doctor appointments. Her care and medical expenses will be high.

Kamryn, age 11 was born at 27 weeks and shocked the doctors when she survived her traumatic entry into this world. She has Hydrocephalus, Epilepsy, Cerebral Palsy, and Autism. She’s in a wheelchair, she has a speech device for speaking, she requires constant physical therapy, and has Atrophy of the Optic Nerve (she is losing eyesight). She is also due for a selective dorsal rhizotomy which will sever Kamryn's spinal cord nerves. Obviously, this is a huge and life-altering surgery for both Kamryn and her mother.

Scarlette is the youngest at age 9. She didn’t speak until recently due to severe Autism. I recall my sister telling me the emotions that flooded through her the first time her 6-year-old daughter said “mommy”. Most of our kids speak that word before the age of 1 and we melt into a puddle. Imagine waiting 6 years to hear it. She remains in intensive speech therapy because others have a difficult time understanding her, although her mother who never leaves her side and knows her best, can make out her words almost as clearly. Scarlette also has sensory processing disorder, ADHD, and OCD. She is homebound from school due to self-harming.

Heather has been unable to work since Kamryn was born because she is the only caretaker of her girls. She has been taking online college classes but had to take time off college with just 2 semesters left to go, but she is determined to soon graduate for her daughters.

This mother has now watched each of her children suffer in unimaginable ways and with the strength and determination that most would not be capable of while having to do it alone. She has never once asked for help from outside sources or family. She has stubbornly tried to handle everything on her own as her plate has been spilling over for years. However, now with this new emergency, she is facing with Lexie, she is completely overwhelmed and I believe it is our duty to help those in need even when they are not asking for it.

Please, if you can give the smallest amount to help this family, I know my sister would be overwhelmed with gratitude. She is reluctantly allowing me to do this for her because she knows she is in a time of despair and needs it. She also asks for your prayers as we still do not know what the outcome will be for Lexie.

Please share this post as well, for as many hearts it may touch, she may be able to worry a little less about her new upcoming bills and finances. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.