Sloane Strong
Hello family, friends and to those who may have come across this page by chance.
To say that 2020 has been a crazy year for everyone would be an understatement. When our families got the news that Kasie and Chris were expecting their third child, we couldn’t have been be more excited and filled with joy — it was finally something positive to look forward to during such a scary and unknown time.
A few weeks later, the feeling of excitement and joy quickly turned to fear and worry when Kasie and Chris went to their 20 week ultrasound. What should have been their most exciting appointment ended up turning their world upside down. They found out their precious baby had a condition called CDH - Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia. This is a rare birth defect in which a hole in the diagram allows the intestines, stomach, liver and other abdominal organs to enter the chest, impairing normal lung development.
Baby Sloane made her entrance into a crowded room full of doctors and nurses on December 11. Her biggest hurdles at this time are severe pulmonary hypertension and poor cardiac function. While she is slowly making steps in the right direction, she is still in the critical phase. Sloane is heavily sedated to keep her calm enough to prevent the pulmonary hypertension from worsening.
Sloane is one of sickest babies in the NICU right now and while that’s terrifying to hear, she is receiving amazing care from the doctors and nurses. Sloane is getting closer and closer to her repair surgery. They want to make sure she is stable and can maintain a good level of oxygen before they talk about having surgery.
Unfortunately, there are many added expenses that come with caring for a baby with CDH like Sloane. On top of medical expenses, copays and deductibles, there is the cost of food, lodging, extended time from work, and other items not covered by insurance. Kasie and Chris are paying to stay in a VRBO 5 minutes from the hospital to be near Sloane. This means they are spending many weeks away from their two other children, Brynleigh and Christopher.
We are doing this fundraiser in hopes of taking some of the financial burden off of Chris and Kasie. If you are able to donate, we would be forever grateful. If you can pray or send positive thoughts, we are extremely appreciative.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and for your continued prayers and support. It means the world to their families.
Sincerely,
Katelyn (Kasie’s sister)
If you would like to receive updates on Sloane's progress, visit her CaringBridge page: https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/sloanebohnert