We are so completely humbled by God's grace and love in our lives.  My 15-year-old nephew, Kalvin, has been battling muscular dystrophy since he was 4 months old.  Now a teenager, his breathing still requires assistance from a ventilator and he has limited use of his limbs, including no ability to walk.  Despite his limitations, he does incredible things and blesses those around him with a positive outlook on life and a true heart of gold. 

Complications from his condition have landed him in the hospital numerous times over the years, particularly any time he is fighting a respiratory illness.  Most recently, an infection in his lungs sent him to the Children’s Hospital of Colorado where he very nearly lost his life.  His heart was on the verge of failure, but he surprised the doctors by battling through it and surviving (which he has a penchant for!).  He is still in the PICU fighting pneumonia, kidney failure, and the effects that septic shock had on his organs.  We are unsure of how long he might be in the hospital.  It could be another 1-3 weeks, depending on how quickly his recovery happens.

Last year, he was in the hospital for three weeks battling an infection.  Every stint in the hospital is costly for the family, but we never hear a word from his parents about money.  They are always focused on getting Kal healthy, putting his needs ahead of theirs. 

Recently, someone asked us if they could contribute financially to the family and it opened up a dialogue with them about their financial needs.  We learned that most of Kal's medical expenses are covered by insurance, which is a blessing in and of itself.  However, there are significant financial burdens created by each of his hospital stays, including the loss of income from both of their jobs (one of which is commission-based) and miscellaneous expenses like gas, food, and costs associated with taking care of their home when they are gone for weeks at a time. 

We are asking our friends and family (and others) to give what they can afford to help cover these additional expenses.  Our hope is that we can build a fund that will not only get them through this experience, but also be available to them as future needs arise.  Some things are simply not covered by insurance but are needed to make life easier for Kal and his parents.  We would love to give them a resource to cover these types of things as they come up.

Most of all, our family covets your prayers.  Please pray for Kal’s recovery, for rest for him and his parents, and for perseverance to get through these challenging times.  Lastly, we would greatly appreciate any financial support you can offer.  We love you all, and appreciate your thoughts and concern.