The Holzworth Family

{PRAYER IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. Please continue to keep Everest and his family in your prayers}

Please help support Everest and his family with medical expenses and other expenses stemming from his sudden illness.

Everest was a happy, healthy 11 month old. He had just began taking steps on his own, and had started eating table food. He was full of joy and spread happiness and laughter wherever he went.

Everest woke up one morning with sudden paralysis from the neck down. After a bunch of scans and tests, he was diagnosed with transverse myelitis. They are waiting to see if this was caused by an autoimmune disorder. He had lost the ability to use his vocal cords, swallow effectively, and use the bathroom on his own.

Everest has a long road ahead of him. He began treatment, which is IV steroids. He has shown some improvement since beginning treatment. However, he still cannot move anything below the neck, on his own, at this time. His legs have started to respond to touch. Very minor movements.

He is having a minor surgery to put in a central line for his next treatment, plasmapheresis. This treatment filters out the bad antibodies (autoantibodies) in his blood so his body heal stop attacking itself and can start to heal.

He should start to regain some movement and skills with the initial treatment. However, he will need a lot of supports and therapies to regain most if not all of his movement and skills.

To aid in his recovery, he receives occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech therapy. He will continue to need these services after discharge.

We do not know how much Everest will regain while in the hospital. He may need specialized care after discharge. He will at least need to stay in the hospital 10 more days from Thursday, September 22nd for his 5 rounds of plasmapheresis. This means he will have to spend his first birthday in the hospital. We are unsure if they will keep him longer than that. He may be transferred to Levine’s Children’s Hospital in Charlotte after his treatment to go to a rehabilitation treatment center for his spinal cord and the loss of movement.

Given the unknowns, any financial help is greatly appreciated! It will help go toward his medical bills, therapy costs, and his daily care after discharge (whether this be at a daycare or with a health aid at home). These donations may also help us pay for gas to and from the hospital and pay other bills while Laekan, Everest’s mom, is with him in the hospital. These donations can help cover things since she is with him and not working at the moment. Lastly, these donations may help cover costs associated with Everest’s two older brothers, Briar (4 years old) and Finnick (2 years old). They may need a sitter when both parents (Duncan and Laekan) are with Everest.

There are so many unknowns with the future, dependent on how he responds to the treatment. He is a strong little man, and will slowly get better! Any help is greatly appreciated!

Thank you all for your help, love, support, and prayers!