Urgent Aid for Baby Kailen's Early Arrival

Hi everyone!

At 26 weeks pregnant, I went into the hospital due to some discomfort while 4 hours away from home. We found out I was 4cm dilated and having labor contractions every 5 minutes. They helicoptered me to the University of Columbia in Missouri, 2 hours away from home, where they had a better delivery and NICU unit. Within the first week, I was given magnesium and 2 steroid shots to help with baby Kailen's lungs, heart, and brain. I was given some medication to put my labor at a standstill. The doctors did an amazing job of keeping me at 5cm dilation and out of active labor, with my contractions going from every 5 to every 10 minutes when they were occurring.

While spending Christmas here was hard enough, at 27 weeks exactly, on Friday, December 27th around 8 pm, my water broke! (Kailen was and is still doing fine and hanging in there). My dilation has remained at a 5, almost a 6, so they started another round of magnesium and antibiotics. I still have amniotic fluid in the sac and while myself and baby are creating more, it's more likely for me to have him sooner than we thought now.

The goal is to now try and keep me pregnant for another 7 weeks! Which is highly unlikely, but also means I'm here for the long run. While also meaning, Kailen, even if he holds on that long, will be born premature at 34 weeks! It is a long shot he will wait that long, but we have to remain hopeful. He will be a NICU baby and I have been struggling with the thought of that. It is all up to baby Kailen at this point and when he decides he's ready for his newborn stage to begin!!!

Regardless of the unplanned events, life still goes on to the outside world of this hospital. Which means bills need to be paid, animals need to be provided for, and of course after Kailen is born, this will be one huge hospital bill and a preterm baby to care for!!!

While I should not be worrying myself to death, sitting here, I only have time to worry about whether Kailen and myself will be okay, and how I have no income while sitting in the hospital. Brandon has been paying all the bills the last month but sadly, his job consists of traveling out of state. He doesn't want to leave my side, I have no family or friends really here for support if I were to go into immediate labor if he goes on the road for work. He's been DoorDashing to try to make some cash flow, however, daily and monthly bills are stacking up, especially with the holidays just passing and having 2 other kiddos every other week, with $500 a month in child support to their mother. My stepson's 4th birthday is in a week as well, and due to me being in the hospital, we didn't have much of a Christmas for the kids. I may be here for another 2 months!

We have 2 cats and 2 dogs. One dog, Bear, is registered as an ESA. He's been at the hospital with me mostly. Our dog, Daisy, has been with a family member of Brandon's luckily. BOTH cats have been at home by themselves until recently, however, my cat Onyx has managed to escape through our basement and has been picked up by Clinton Animal Shelter. They said they would hold him, but I'm not sure for how long. Even if someone went and picked him up, he'd only escape again if left alone. So I may have to give him up and let them adopt him out. My 7-month-old rescue kitten has been home by himself for about 2 weeks now. Brandon has checked on him a few times and made sure he has plenty of food and water, but he's definitely attention deprived.

I HAVE BEEN TRYING SO HARD NOT TO STRESS MYSELF OUT ON EVERYTHING GOING ON, BUT I CAN'T HELP BUT WORRY ABOUT ALL THESE FACTORS.

Something else that has concerned me is not only will Kailen be early, but I just moved to Missouri a month ago. Spending the last week and a half in the hospital, I was not prepared in general at home for a newborn yet or even packed a hospital bag. Most things are still in storage of what I do have which isn't a lot. His original due date was MARCH 28TH! Now, we're expecting anytime between today and Valentine's Day!

I have been able to get in touch with the financial people here at the hospital and social work to help as well, as far as getting my Medicaid and WIC switched over to Missouri. (I haven't even had the chance to legally change my address or my license over)

WILL WE BE ABLE TO KEEP UP ON RENT, ELECTRIC, GAS TO NOT LOSE OUR HOUSE!

MY TRUCK PLATES ARE INDIANA PLATES THAT EXPIRED A FEW DAYS BEFORE THIS HOSPITALIZATION.

Insurance is due monthly as well. The truck is only in my name so Brandon has to be super careful about driving right now because I'm not able to fix plates and registration. (Our other vehicle has heat issues, so with it being cold and having kids we can't drive it back and forth 2 to 4 hours from the town we live in to the hospital. Plus, it just wouldn't make the trips like the truck would.) The truck also, we found out, has 2 nails in the tires. One in front and one in back of the driver's side. So new tires will be an expense as well soon!

OUR PHONES WILL BE SHUT OFF IF WE CAN'T PAY THE BILL.

WILL WE BE ABLE TO GET ALL THE BABY ITEMS WE NEED IN TIME.

WILL WE BE ABLE TO PAY FOR THESE MEDICAL BILLS FOR POTENTIAL 9+ WEEKS IN THE LABOR AND DELIVERY UNIT AS WELL AS ANY MEDICAL COSTS FOR THE NICU AND KAILEN'S HEALTH?

WILL THE COURTS REFUSE US VISITATION WITH THE KIDS IF WE CAN'T CATCH UP ON CHILD SUPPORT PAYMENTS.

WILL THE ANIMAL SHELTER CHARGE ME FOR ONYX?

WILL WE BE ABLE TO BUY ALL THE BABY ITEMS WE WILL NEED ONCE WE ARE ABLE TO GO HOME.

One of the worst parts in this is knowing things could go wrong and my baby could not make it or there could be other complications with my health... at that point, I don't know what I would do...

I know this is a lot and a long story, but we need help and I'm not sure where else to turn!!! So anything, even a few dollars helps us get some preemie baby clothes, or stacks up to get some bills paid so Kailen has a home to go home to!

Thank you in advance and we appreciate each and every one of your donations.

If I can ever afford to do so, I will pay each and every person back personally. I do not like doing this, but I have no other option anymore or we are going to lose everything!!!

Also, here is the Kailen's baby registry list! Any purchases on there would be more than helpful as well.

To raise a child it takes a village. Thanks for being part of ours!

I'm registered at Babylist, and you can check out my registry here: https://www.babylist.com/list/uwbdmfjpz