Must stay positive! Thank you for your support!

So I will say this to start... It is so hard for me to ask for help. As I sit here typing this I have to wonder at what point life decided that throwing curve balls wasn't enough? Now it seems to be throwing bowling balls. I will also admit that while it is hard to ask for help I also know when our limits have been reached. Kim and I have fought my sickness in different ways for the last 10 years, however, the last two have been exceptionally hard. The story goes as follows: In March of 2014 I was admitted into the intensive care unit as I just randomly starting vomiting pure blood. My heart rate was elevated far beyond normal and I couldn't walk without passing out. I couldn't understand how I got to that point. I was told I had one unit of blood left in my system and should have close to thirteen. That is when it hit me... I am dying. As I lay there telling my beautiful wife goodbye, my son (Mason) weighed heavily on my heart and mind. I lost my father at twenty four and it crushed me... How is my son going to handle this at eight!?!? Not long after spilling my heart to Kim and saying my goodbyes, a Dr. touched my shoulder and said, "Not today Ben... Not on my watch". Off I went! Straight into a whirlpool of numerous procedures to find why and where I was internally bleeding from. The good news, they found the bleed. The bad news, my liver is dead. He explained to Kim and I that I will eventually need a liver transplant in order to function. Non-Alcoholic Cirrhosis of the liver (NASH) was the actual diagnosis. Please note that my Cirrhosis was not caused from drinking alcohol! I have never been a drinker, just have really bad genetics. So it was discovered that because my liver is swollen and calcified it will no longer allow blood to filter through to be cleaned of the toxins we consume daily. The blood has backed up into my spleen causing it to be four times its normal size (painful). The blood then became lodged within the veins in my chest in which burst because of the amount of pressure causing me to bleed into my stomach. I spent 6 months going every two weeks and getting scoped (they put a tube/camera down my throat) to find then fix and control the bleeds! The irony in this is while they were fixing one bleed they were financially bleeding us dry! In September 2022 I was admitted into the hospital’s Intensive care unit (for the 8th time that year alone) for high ammonia levels (created by the liver failure) and put into a medically induced coma to prevent me from hurting myself or anyone around me. I had a complete psychiatric break and didn’t know who or what I was doing daily. Scary stuff to go through on my end but my heart breaks for my Wife who had to witness it all. I am now on injections that pump medicine into my stomach in order to boost my immune system. I have zero immunity to any germs. Constantly nauseous and feeling sick is a terrible way to live each second of Every day. So where do I go from here? How are we gonna afford this? Why is this happening? Can I fix it? Am I gonna die? Just a few of my thoughts on a daily basis. I was a mess (still am honestly)… Flash forward to the present: While I am still fighting this illness and making the best out of every day, (each one a gift that I cherish more than the last) I realize that without the support of my amazing family, friends, nurses, doctors and the prayers of so many, I would not be here! My wife has worked so hard to carry our family for the last ten years and has never complained... She has always been positive and supportive of me in every way! I honestly do not know how she does it. Here is the problem guys... (please know how hard this is for me to say and I ask that you hold your judgment as our situation is most definitley Not by choice) We have held on for what seems to be as long as we could. We have accumulated some hefty medical bills but more importantly due to my high monthly medication costs we are now barely able to stay on top of the “regular” bills that life throws at us. Guys this burden is mine to carry and mine alone as I can't help but feel responsible for the current situation we are in. I can not explain in words how this crushes my spirit, yet, I will never give up the fight! What I am asking: I am asking everyone for anything they are willing to give in order for us to save our little family from financial ruin and allow me the opportunity to provide my family with what little sense of security I can. Please know that every bit of help is greatly appreciated and means more to Kim and I than we could ever explain to you! If you are not in a position to help, I COMPLETELY understand! I do not expect anyone to give to us and cause themselves any hardships. We will figure this out as we have in the past while battling our struggles. If you would simply take a minute to stop and pray for my family that will be payment to us in a way that monetary value could never surpass!!! Please know that I love each and every one of you who have taken the time to read through this! I know it is long, I know you have better things to do with your time, I also know just how important my little family is to me which is why I have tried my best not to leave anything out in what I would call the story of my life so far. Everyone is dealing with something, we all have struggles. Kim, Mason and I just need a little support this time. Thank you for helping us… if you choose to do so!

Much love from a most humble place in my heart, Ben

P.S. The power of prayer works wonders... Never underestimate what is possible through prayer!