Tyler’s medical expences

Hi, My name is Shantel Kramlich, I’m one of Tyler’s sister-in-laws. We wanted to start this in order to try and help with some of the medical bills that will be piling up. Anything donated will be going to them.

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May 12, 2022

Journal Entry by Kirsten Domek — May 12, 2022

This first post will be a long one...

I've been back and forth about starting one of these for a couple reasons... 1) I didn't want to feel obligated or stressed to have to share a post every day and 2) We never imagined we'd be in the position we're in just a few weeks ago...

Please understand and respect that I will not make it a priority to update this page every single day. I will try and update as I feel up to it. There are good days and bad days. Also there are some things that are more personal and I will keep some of that private. We appreciate all who have reached out by texts/calls to both Tyler and myself. I have read Tyler's texts to him as they come in to let him know you're all thinking of him and wishing him well. He doesn't have the most energy some days to answer and his phone is kept on silent mode to not disturb him if by some miracle he is actually asleep.

I've been rambling enough....

This journey started when we started noticing Tyler's skin and eyes were jaundice. We went to Sanford in Jamestown on April 14th. His lab results came in and it was recommended to go to Fargo Sanford Hospital due to very low sodium levels and high bilirubin levels. They wanted Tyler to see a GI Specialist.

On April 15th we checked into Fargo Sanford ER where they admitted him to the hospital. We spent 6 hours in the ER before finally getting into his room on the 7th floor. Monday the 18th was when the GI Specialist came in to meet with us regarding Tyler's liver. We were told he has a very fatty and enlarged liver. There isn't much for treatment options in this case and said steroids sometimes are administered but he didn't see it fit for Tyler so at this point he let us know that his bilirubin will keep climbing up until it hits a plateau and comes back down on its own. "One day at a time" is the phrase we have been told since we got here and continue to hear today. We believed we'd be going home once we got his sodium levels up. But we got news we weren't ready for last week.

May 3rd I was in Jamestown planning to go to my appointment that afternoon until Tyler called me and wanted me back at the hospital right away. His labs came back and it wasn't good. I cancelled my appointment immediately and got in the car and sped back to Fargo. When I arrived, nursing was struggling to get another IV put into his other hand. He has been on fluid restrictions for weeks at this point and had so many lab pokes that they couldn't find his veins anymore. Eventually the rescue nurse was successful. They started getting plasma and sodium going in each arm. The doctor finally came in and told us Tyler's liver is failing and in return is causing his pancreas and kidneys to fail as well. He had been in touch with the doctors at the University of Minnesota as to transferring Tyler there. (They don't normally take patients there for liver transplants unless you're at least 6 months sober) but they're concerned Tyler won't make it that long as things are progressing quickly. So the waiting game began to see if they would even take him or not or if we were just to make him comfortable. The next day our anxiety lessened as they did agree to take him and treat him in Minneapolis but we still aren't sure what will happen while we're there. We don't know if he will get the transplant or how long it will take to get one if they do put him on the list but I'm choosing not to think about that now and try and focus on today and getting him through "one day at a time". I'm just happy to know he still has a chance! May 5th we were moved to Immediate Care Unit on the 5th floor and he was started on dialysis to hopefully help save what's left of his kidneys. He now gets this three days a week and he does notice it helping his fluid retention in his legs. He was able to get medically stable enough in that unit that he was able to move back to the 7th floor this week Monday. We're still here now just waiting for a call from U of M when a bed is ready. As long as he stays stable enough, they will take him by ground ambulance. His blood pressures have been very low this week due to the dialysis and stomach taps they do as needed. There's something new thrown at us every day but Tyler is staying strong and he'll get through all this!

At this time we just ask that you keep Tyler in your thoughts and prayers. We have a long road ahead and there's a lot of unknowns at this time but for now all we can do is take it..."one day at a time." ✝