Request for Help for my Friend
Donation protected
This is my friend Cindy Lynn Poteet, a special education teacher in Anchorage Alaska, and her remarkable 11 year old son, Christopher. This is some of Christopher’s history -
He was born February 1, 2007 with Pierre-Robin Syndrome and orthopedic issues. He had a cleft soft palate, recessed jawbone, a club foot, and additional left-side body issues of his ears, mouth, throat, and urinary system. He required special feeding and early casting to address the palate and the foot. Since the age of three months, Christopher has undergone 11 surgeries to mitigate the impacts of these issues. Surgeries have included palate repair, orthopedic surgery to move tendons in his foot and place pins/plate in his knee, multiple PE tubes, hernia and urinary surgery, dental and oral surgeries, and a tonsillectomy.
The latest surgery on July 10th of this year was for the insertion of a Precise Nail in his left femur to begin lengthening his left leg 6 centimeters. This surgery and lengthening will correct the more than 40 millimeter difference in length of his legs. He will have to be on crutches for about eight months after the surgery. Cindy and Christopher flew to Seattle the beginning of July for this surgery and will be there until at least the 20th of September. You can follow his journey on at this link http://follow.christophersjourney.us
Thankfully, insurance is paying for the medical costs and will cover out of state lodging and some of the living expenses.
However
Cindy will be completely out of Family Leave on September 17th. Her husband Tom, Christopher’s stepdad, will be out of leave at the end of August. She will need to remain in Seattle until September 20th, , possibly longer.
This surgery will require that Cindy and Christopher return to Seattle for a minimum of six days in October and November and a minimum of three days each for December through March, and possibly beyond that.
Every trip that Cindy and Christopher take after the end of September will mean days off without pay.
This family has enough stress without worrying about lost income. Any money raised here will go toward the unreimbursed expenses associated with this surgery, activities for Christopher and to help mitigate lost wages. Anything above this will go into Christopher’s college fund.
He was born February 1, 2007 with Pierre-Robin Syndrome and orthopedic issues. He had a cleft soft palate, recessed jawbone, a club foot, and additional left-side body issues of his ears, mouth, throat, and urinary system. He required special feeding and early casting to address the palate and the foot. Since the age of three months, Christopher has undergone 11 surgeries to mitigate the impacts of these issues. Surgeries have included palate repair, orthopedic surgery to move tendons in his foot and place pins/plate in his knee, multiple PE tubes, hernia and urinary surgery, dental and oral surgeries, and a tonsillectomy.
The latest surgery on July 10th of this year was for the insertion of a Precise Nail in his left femur to begin lengthening his left leg 6 centimeters. This surgery and lengthening will correct the more than 40 millimeter difference in length of his legs. He will have to be on crutches for about eight months after the surgery. Cindy and Christopher flew to Seattle the beginning of July for this surgery and will be there until at least the 20th of September. You can follow his journey on at this link http://follow.christophersjourney.us
Thankfully, insurance is paying for the medical costs and will cover out of state lodging and some of the living expenses.
However
Cindy will be completely out of Family Leave on September 17th. Her husband Tom, Christopher’s stepdad, will be out of leave at the end of August. She will need to remain in Seattle until September 20th, , possibly longer.
This surgery will require that Cindy and Christopher return to Seattle for a minimum of six days in October and November and a minimum of three days each for December through March, and possibly beyond that.
Every trip that Cindy and Christopher take after the end of September will mean days off without pay.
This family has enough stress without worrying about lost income. Any money raised here will go toward the unreimbursed expenses associated with this surgery, activities for Christopher and to help mitigate lost wages. Anything above this will go into Christopher’s college fund.
Organizer and beneficiary
Shirley Jean Mitchell
Organizer
Phoenix, AZ
Cindy Lynn Poteet
Beneficiary
