Ryker Sprague's Medical Fund

This baby has been through so much in the few months he's been here. Not to mention the emotional rollercoaster his parents have been on, trying to get him all better. Justin and Lindsey are his parents, and a close family friends of ours. I'm asking and hoping to relieve some financial burden off of them by asking for community help. Justin already works a full time job, and is about to add another to his plate to maintain not only the regular bills but now also HUGE medical bills due to several major surgeries on this baby. Anything and everything helps. Please don't scroll, find it in your heart to help this wonderful family, help their baby.

Ryker Sprague was born September 28, 2021 to Justin and Lindsey Sprague. He was born with Bladder Exstrophy and this was not known prior to delivery by his parents. He was ambulanced to Children's Mercy to be checked out by a specialist. He stayed in the Nicu for five days until his glucose levels stabilized and all of the checking for other abnormalities were done. After many doctors appointments and home for a month to grow big and strong, he gained three pounds and his surgery was scheduled for November 2, 2021. This surgery was anticipated to be 7 hours long at a minimum and ended up taking 10 hours. During this surgery, his Orthopedic surgeon performed a Bilateral Iliac Osteotomies both anterior and posterior (because of his bladder being on the outside of his body, his hips/pelvic bones didn't close properly) and his Urologist performed the Bladder Exstrophy repair/closure and urethra repair. Ryker did great during surgery on anesthesia and everything went according to plan, he did have to have a blood transfusion for loss during the surgery. Immediately after surgery, Ryker was placed in traction to keep his hips stable as they healed. The first week went by flawlessly without for recovery. He was on Morphine, Cephalexin (antibiotic), epidural, relaxer, acetaminophen, and Miralax. He was sedated for basically the first whole week, he just slept to heal. He had three tubes coming out of his belly button (Bladder and both kidneys) and a stint out of his penis to make sure the urethra healed properly. He had two IVs one in each wrist and a feeding tube in his nose for medicine and eventually breastmilk. His epidural came out about a week after surgery. After the first week is when he started having complications. A hematoma that was trapped under the skin ruptured and broke open his incision, it was a tiny hole at first the size of a pencil eraser, after all the weeks in the hospital it has grown to the size of a half dollar coin. Unfortunately it cannot heal on its own as it fills with urine from the bladder.

He stayed in traction for about 2 weeks until the doctors thought he needed a break because he ended up having a pinched nerve and the traction was placing too much pressure on his sciatica which was causing his left foot to point all of the time with little movement and become swollen. After taken out of traction, he started Occupational therapy for helping development and eating properly and Physical therapy for his left leg and foot. His legs were mermaided together for the remainder of his time in the Nicu which was about 3 weeks total.

During his second week his IVs in his wrists both fell out, so they were removed and a scalp IV was placed after a failed attempt on the left side into his right side of his head. Then he ended up accidentally pulling it out so the doctors placed a midline catheter in his scalp going from the top of his head into his neck to receive his IV fluids.

He was having a hard time getting all of his food down because all of the medications made him very tired. So it was a very gradual progression as they were slowing down the medications as his pain decreased to get his eating back on track. He only put on 1 lb for the 3 weeks he was in the Nicu. He was eating breastmilk and supplementing with formula while in the hospital. During the second week in the Nicu, he ended up having blood in his stools and it was hurting him to go to the bathroom, the formula had to be switched to Ele care formula as he was having a bad reaction to the milk proteins in the original formula. Finally by November 19, 2021 he got his feeding tube out of his nose as he finally had his appetite back and was consistently eating again.

During his stay, the nurses discovered that he has a posterior tongue tie which thankfully doesn't seem to affect his eating but just something to keep an eye on and one nurse thought he had a murmur but after several doctors checked repeatedly they don't believe that is the case. While in the Nicu, he was seen by the Orthopedic team, Urology team, the Nicu doctors, Occupational and Physical therapists, a pain management team and pediatric doctors.

He finally came home the night of November 22, 2021 after three weeks post surgery to do the rest of his healing at home. He still had to be mermaid wrapped with his legs together to let his hips finish the bone hardening process and heal in place until November 30, 2021.

At first, the parents were under the impression with the hole in his incision it would just be a simple closure procedure; however, at his first followup appointment for Urology, Dr. Gatti let them know that the surgery hadn't been a success except for the urethra repair, Ryker was basically at square one. The bladder has started coming back out of the incision and the hips have come a little ways back apart. He will unfortunately have to have another complete surgery for his hips and bladder repair after waiting anywhere between 6 months to a year for him to heal properly from the failed surgery. The parents are unsure of what the next surgery will be like but might include Dr. Schwend, orthopedic surgeon leaving pins and rods outside of his body to hold everything in place for the repair. At home, Ryker is being seen by a home health nurse a couple times a week and he has followup appointments with Urology, Ortho, his pediatrician and Physical therapy. In January, Ryker will have x-rays and an ultrasound to determine how everything truly is and the teams will start deciding surgical options for repair. At six months, the teams will start deciding when Ryker will be ready for the next surgical repair.

The bills have started rolling in now and because of the unexpectedness of the situation, it has created financial hardship for the family. Unfortunately, the second surgery will be in a new insurance year for the family and will be looking at 10k for the first surgery and 10k for the next surgery to cover out of pocket maximums.

No amount is too little and if you cannot help financially, then please keep Ryker in your prayers or send positive vibes or share his story.