Strength for the Sup Family
Donation protected
The Sup family needs our help! After years of baffling medically professionals and privately battling seemingly undiagnosable health issues, Maia is preparing to travel to the Mayo Clinic in July, in hopes that their renowned medical team can find answers and begin treatment, before her newly-discovered liver failure becomes life-threatening.
The Backstory
The Sup family – parents Mike and Maia, along with their 3 young daughters Ella, Laila, and Maika, are the kind of selfless, loving people whose generosity flows freely and never comes with strings attached. Whether it’s a helping hand, a kind word, a meal, or a few dollars when things are tight, they give freely of themselves because they know the world is always a better place when we support each other. And right now they need our support.
Mike and Maia have kept their own battles mostly private for a long time, with only a few close family and friends aware of Maia’s health issues. For more than three years, Maia has struggled with debilitating, painful, and inexplicable health problems, but things began to escalate after the birth of her youngest daughter in the fall of 2016.
Toward the end of summer 2017, after months of quietly enduring the symptoms of her declining health, Maia landed in the ER a handful of times due to symptoms from undiagnosed pancreatitis, but, as she had unfortunately become unaccustomed, she received no relief or effective treatment. After multiple episodes of incapacitating chest pain, Mike insisted on taking her back to the ER, this time at a different hospital, where the doctor finally noticed liver abnormalities that were presenting in her lab work – enzymes indicated liver inflammation was very high, and not declining.
The doctor surmised that this was being caused by the bile duct malfunctioning and essentially choking off her liver. Maia was sent to a GI specialist in Omaha for an invasive procedure called an MRCP, where they place stints in the biliary duct and pancreas to prevent the bile duct from continuing to damage the liver.
The stints were supposed to stay in for 3 months, but in the first few weeks after returning home, Maia was in such excruciating pain that, after two ER visits and zero respite from the pain, the surgeon decided the stints were not performing as hoped and needed to come out early.
The stints were removed in November of 2017 and in the months since then, her conditioned has worsened dramatically. She experiences horrible joint pain that leaves her unable to function. The pain and the side effects from her continuing liver issues have left her unable to maintain calories or hydrate, resulting in numerous trips to the ER for fluid IVs. She has, despite her best efforts, lost 50 lbs since the beginning of May. Even for someone as strong and positive as Maia, this is a truly terrifying way to live day-to-day, when it seems like there are no answers coming any time soon.
At last, one of her ER trips brought the hospital’s Head of General Surgery to her rescue. It turns out Maia’s labs were telling a different story than what the previous doctors had noticed. Maia has a fatty liver, enlarged spleen, and her bile ducts are functioning abnormally.
These are the early signs of liver failure.
This new Doctor immediately sprang into action, placing herself in the role of much-needed advocate for Maia and Mike. Within an hour of meeting with them, this new ally had booked Maia to see a new GI specialist in Omaha and also for a trip to Mayo Clinic.
What Happens Next
This latest GI specialist is not in Maia’s insurance network, but after having every in-network specialist end unsuccessful appointments by calling her a “puzzle” or a “freak of nature,” he has been a breath of fresh air for the Sups. He will be performing diagnostic procedures – a liver biopsy, internal imaging, and placing a temporary sensor in Maia’s stomach to gather data - before the end of June, hoping to gather useful information for the medical team at Mayo.
The Sup family will leave July 15th for Minnesota, where Maia is scheduled to begin her Mayo appointments on July 17th. She will be seen by gastroenterologists, rheumatologists, and hepatologists. Their goal is to figure out what is causing the liver damage and slow it down, as they feel this is the most pertinent and time-sensitive of her conditions.
Mike and Maia have been told to be prepared to stay at Mayo for up to 2 weeks, and to expect anything from labs and scans to surgery, depending on what they are able to discover. This is to say nothing of what additional treatment might be needed once she returns home.
How You Can Help
Friends of the Sups are hoping to raise funds to help alleviate some of the stress and fear that comes along with a long medical journey filled with unknowns.
Our first goal is to help offset travel expenses for the trip to Mayo Clinic. Lodging while in Minnesota will cost $150 per night, which could total more than $2,000 if the full two weeks of stay are required. Travel expenses such as fuel and food during the trip are estimated at $1,000. It is our hope to have $3,000 raised before the family leaves for Mayo on July 15th.
The next goal is to help pay off the medical bills that are piling up and threatening to overwhelm this family. Last year’s unsuccessful surgeries are still being paid for, and Mike and Maia’s remaining savings has been exhausted by recent medical expense for their daughters. The Sups’ insurance is now fighting them on how much they will cover of not only the upcoming consultations and procedures, but also the medical visits that have already happened locally. Outside of what Maia’s insurance ultimately will cover, many of the specialists with the necessary expertise to diagnose and treat her going forward are out-of-network, adding even more to the financial burden.
In addition to the expenses piling up, Mike will have to take off work to be with Maia during her time at Mayo Clinic, and as a self-employed salon owner, Maia will also be unable to generate income during this ordeal.
Any little bit you can spare to help this family stay afloat during a difficult time will be put to good use. As budget-conscious parents, Mike and Maia’s first priority is always to provide for the safety and health of their children, even when that means making sacrifices elsewhere. But now it is time for Maia to make her health a priority, so her daughters can have their biggest cheerleader, their selfless, loving mom, by their side as they grow up.
Regardless of whether you are able to donate at this time, we would appreciate your generosity in supporting our efforts by sharing Maia’s story with your family and friends - on any or all of your preferred social media platforms, or even by carrier pigeon if you happen to have one handy!
We will be posting updates on behalf of the Sups throughout this journey, so please visit us often to check on our progress and learn the latest about this fierce family and their fearless mama, #maiathemighty
The Backstory
The Sup family – parents Mike and Maia, along with their 3 young daughters Ella, Laila, and Maika, are the kind of selfless, loving people whose generosity flows freely and never comes with strings attached. Whether it’s a helping hand, a kind word, a meal, or a few dollars when things are tight, they give freely of themselves because they know the world is always a better place when we support each other. And right now they need our support.
Mike and Maia have kept their own battles mostly private for a long time, with only a few close family and friends aware of Maia’s health issues. For more than three years, Maia has struggled with debilitating, painful, and inexplicable health problems, but things began to escalate after the birth of her youngest daughter in the fall of 2016.
Toward the end of summer 2017, after months of quietly enduring the symptoms of her declining health, Maia landed in the ER a handful of times due to symptoms from undiagnosed pancreatitis, but, as she had unfortunately become unaccustomed, she received no relief or effective treatment. After multiple episodes of incapacitating chest pain, Mike insisted on taking her back to the ER, this time at a different hospital, where the doctor finally noticed liver abnormalities that were presenting in her lab work – enzymes indicated liver inflammation was very high, and not declining.
The doctor surmised that this was being caused by the bile duct malfunctioning and essentially choking off her liver. Maia was sent to a GI specialist in Omaha for an invasive procedure called an MRCP, where they place stints in the biliary duct and pancreas to prevent the bile duct from continuing to damage the liver.
The stints were supposed to stay in for 3 months, but in the first few weeks after returning home, Maia was in such excruciating pain that, after two ER visits and zero respite from the pain, the surgeon decided the stints were not performing as hoped and needed to come out early.
The stints were removed in November of 2017 and in the months since then, her conditioned has worsened dramatically. She experiences horrible joint pain that leaves her unable to function. The pain and the side effects from her continuing liver issues have left her unable to maintain calories or hydrate, resulting in numerous trips to the ER for fluid IVs. She has, despite her best efforts, lost 50 lbs since the beginning of May. Even for someone as strong and positive as Maia, this is a truly terrifying way to live day-to-day, when it seems like there are no answers coming any time soon.
At last, one of her ER trips brought the hospital’s Head of General Surgery to her rescue. It turns out Maia’s labs were telling a different story than what the previous doctors had noticed. Maia has a fatty liver, enlarged spleen, and her bile ducts are functioning abnormally.
These are the early signs of liver failure.
This new Doctor immediately sprang into action, placing herself in the role of much-needed advocate for Maia and Mike. Within an hour of meeting with them, this new ally had booked Maia to see a new GI specialist in Omaha and also for a trip to Mayo Clinic.
What Happens Next
This latest GI specialist is not in Maia’s insurance network, but after having every in-network specialist end unsuccessful appointments by calling her a “puzzle” or a “freak of nature,” he has been a breath of fresh air for the Sups. He will be performing diagnostic procedures – a liver biopsy, internal imaging, and placing a temporary sensor in Maia’s stomach to gather data - before the end of June, hoping to gather useful information for the medical team at Mayo.
The Sup family will leave July 15th for Minnesota, where Maia is scheduled to begin her Mayo appointments on July 17th. She will be seen by gastroenterologists, rheumatologists, and hepatologists. Their goal is to figure out what is causing the liver damage and slow it down, as they feel this is the most pertinent and time-sensitive of her conditions.
Mike and Maia have been told to be prepared to stay at Mayo for up to 2 weeks, and to expect anything from labs and scans to surgery, depending on what they are able to discover. This is to say nothing of what additional treatment might be needed once she returns home.
How You Can Help
Friends of the Sups are hoping to raise funds to help alleviate some of the stress and fear that comes along with a long medical journey filled with unknowns.
Our first goal is to help offset travel expenses for the trip to Mayo Clinic. Lodging while in Minnesota will cost $150 per night, which could total more than $2,000 if the full two weeks of stay are required. Travel expenses such as fuel and food during the trip are estimated at $1,000. It is our hope to have $3,000 raised before the family leaves for Mayo on July 15th.
The next goal is to help pay off the medical bills that are piling up and threatening to overwhelm this family. Last year’s unsuccessful surgeries are still being paid for, and Mike and Maia’s remaining savings has been exhausted by recent medical expense for their daughters. The Sups’ insurance is now fighting them on how much they will cover of not only the upcoming consultations and procedures, but also the medical visits that have already happened locally. Outside of what Maia’s insurance ultimately will cover, many of the specialists with the necessary expertise to diagnose and treat her going forward are out-of-network, adding even more to the financial burden.
In addition to the expenses piling up, Mike will have to take off work to be with Maia during her time at Mayo Clinic, and as a self-employed salon owner, Maia will also be unable to generate income during this ordeal.
Any little bit you can spare to help this family stay afloat during a difficult time will be put to good use. As budget-conscious parents, Mike and Maia’s first priority is always to provide for the safety and health of their children, even when that means making sacrifices elsewhere. But now it is time for Maia to make her health a priority, so her daughters can have their biggest cheerleader, their selfless, loving mom, by their side as they grow up.
Regardless of whether you are able to donate at this time, we would appreciate your generosity in supporting our efforts by sharing Maia’s story with your family and friends - on any or all of your preferred social media platforms, or even by carrier pigeon if you happen to have one handy!
We will be posting updates on behalf of the Sups throughout this journey, so please visit us often to check on our progress and learn the latest about this fierce family and their fearless mama, #maiathemighty
Co-organizers (2)
Ann Stenehjem
Organizer
Kearney, NE
Mike Sup
Beneficiary
Amanda Bristol
Co-organizer