Rally For Riley

Thank you could never be enough to express the gratitude and overwhelming feeling of love and community you have all expressed through you heartfelt posts and generous gifts. These gifts have taken many forms over this week: quiet time spent consoling grieving family members, smiles through tears from those who have walked this terrible road before, refrigerators filled with food, and calls/texts filled with love. 
   I have talked with many about what to do, and we have chosen to continue to leave this up and active. Instead of pushing or working towards another goal we will allow others to continue to give as their hearts lead them to. Nothing we raise could ever be "ENOUGH" to cover what they need, so please continue to share, give, and most of all PRAY for peace and comfort over the next bit of time as the reality and gravity of it all continues to set in.
   Tim and Heather Gilbert (My sister and brother-in-law) have been married for 15 years. They have been involved in the community and church their entire lives, and Heather has given her life to care for others through her career as an ED nurse, and now as a new Nurse Practitioner. They have two little girls Reagan and Riley.  
   Their youngest daughter Riley tested positive for the flu on Tuesday afternoon, and showed no signs of any further problems. Early on Wednesday morning, she woke up with shallow breathing and mottled skin. She was driven to the hospital where she was immediately transferred to Egleston at Emory by life-flight helicopter. Family came together and surrounded a beloved daughter, grand daughter, niece, sissy, cousin, great grand daughter, all praying and fighting for the best outcome.
  There was a complication with bacterial and strep infection and her condition began to spiral quicker than anyone could have ever imagined possible. She was placed on life support early Wednesday in order to allow her body to rest. She was fighting for her life despite multiple organ failure and further infection problems. 
   The team at Egleston was and is an amazing and awe inspiring groups of people. Around the clock specialized care was an amazing thing to behold on sweet Riley’s behalf. She was being treated with every possible life saving measure...kidney dialysis, ECMO (https://www.choa.org/medical-services/critical-care/ecmo-center) , and plasma/blood transfusions and Hemodialysis.
   We would get a few good results, only to shortly thereafter have regressive news delivered to the family.  We endured that seemingly never ending roller coaster of good news followed by bad until early Friday morning. 
  The situation quickly grew very grim in a matter of  hours early Thursday into early Friday.  After much discussion with medical team and family, the unavoidable decision was made to do what no parent should ever have to do:  Life support measures were stopped as our precious Riley continued to decline despite all know medications and effort. 
   Family and friends are absolutely devastated beyond belief. Prayers and positive thoughts for Tim, Heather, Reagan, and all of our family are appreciated more than words can express. 
   The costs of the various treatments individually could and would be financially overwhelming to anyone. The cost outlook for three days of those treatments all combined are not fathomable. We cannot control the emotional strain, but want to do all we can to provide them relief from the stress of financial worry.
   Your gift of any amount will work together to allow them to concentrate on loving Reagan and each other as they adjust to the emotional toll of a new "normal" over the next days, months, and years. Any extra that comes in will go toward service costs, medical responsibilities, and other unavoidable financial obligations.