Rian's Surgery: Grandfather Needs Our Aid

My name is JoAnne Matters. I am one of the co-founders of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, Lake of the Ozarks, Support Group. Pat Tego is a member of our group. He is raising three of his grandchildren. He has had them for more than 6 years. Pat works part-time at the Osage Beach Walmart to make ends meet. You may have seen him gathering carts and taking them inside or helping a customer load groceries in their car.

Pat is dedicated to these three grandkids. The oldest is 16, the middle one is 11 (I'm pretty sure), and Rian, the little one, is just 8. Rian is the reason for this GoFundMe.

Rian has been having severe, screaming headaches for two-plus weeks. She was found to have an ear infection and was given antibiotics locally; however, she had no relief. Pat took her to Columbia, where they have run many scans and tests. The infection is so severe it is putting pressure on her brain.

Rian is scheduled for a 4-1/2 hour surgery at 7 am Tuesday, March 18th. They will remove some of the pressure from her brain. After surgery, she will be on IV antibiotics for two to three months at home. Pat is, and will be, at the hospital for the duration, and will have to be at home with her when she returns home, so he is missing the income from his job at Walmart plus the expenses you always have at the hospital, such as meals, gas for when he'll go home and check on the other two cildren, etc.

I realize there are several local families who lost everything in the fires this past week, but if you can help any amount at all, it would be greatly appreciated. If you can't, please share this far and wide. Above all else, please put Rian and her family in your prayer chain. This is a very emotional time for them all.

Thank you in advance for everything!

Pat gave his permission to set up this request.