While visiting her grandpa, who was at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center for heart surgery following a major heart attack, Laynee started having severe abdominal pain with vomiting. A visit to urgent care and the ER both resulted in being sent back to the hotel, with medical staff attributing the incidences to stress. Another trip to the ER led to a CT scan, which revealed a mass at the pancreatic head pushing on the duodenum and surrounding anatomy. Continuing blood tests, X-ray, MRI, and PET scan have failed to solidify a diagnosis. However, pediatric surgeons have determined that Laynee’s situation is extremely rare - far less than 1 in a million. Although the surgeons at EIRMC are wonderful and capable, they have decided to transfer Laynee via med flight to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in NYC to ensure she has the best possible resources and surgeons, who collectively have the most experience with this very rare situation (and possible 6-8 hour Whipple surgery).

Laynee is an amazing, brave, sweet, loving girl who has been an absolute trooper all along the way. She’s already spent 10 nights in the hospital with no food or drink, around-the-clock pain and anti-nausea medications, and IV nutrition. Despite the long road ahead and all of the unknowns, the Eldredge family is committed to trusting God and praying for His Will and Peace. Randi and Brandon haven’t left Laynee, sleeping on recliners at her bedside. Her brother Mayson (20) has been at her bedside, Austyn (16) and Preston (17) are holding down the ranch, and Emmett (10) has showered her with love and been brave spending days on end away from his parents. Laynee has an amazing family and an extensive and relentlessly loving and positive support system.

Prayers are the most important thing to the Eldredges and the best help they can receive right now. However, the reality that this will be a large financial burden is already apparent with the cost of hotel rooms, travel for family, and meals out since they’re 3 hours from home and soon will be 2,500 miles from home in NYC. Additional costs include the lengthy hospital stays, testing, imaging, surgery, and medical flights. If you’re able to contribute financially to help offset some of these costs, your gift is greatly appreciated along with your prayers. For those who aren’t able to contribute financially, we thank you for your heartfelt prayers.