Melissa & Andy Hill Medical Fund

Melissa Riggs Hill and Andy Hill (both now 34) were college sweethearts, both college athletes and graduates of West Georgia. Both loved God, their family, sports, outdoors, hiking and camping. They were meant to be together and eventually married in 2006. But before she could graduate from college, Melissa (fondly known as Minna by her family) began to get sick. In 2000, at age 19, this previously healthy, athletic and strong woman was diagnosed with Crohn’s.

Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory disease of the intestines, in which the body's immune system attacks the gastrointestinal tract - an ugly and unforgiving disease. If a patient is lucky, the disease is isolated to one section of the intestines that can potentially be treated or surgically removed. Unfortunately, Minna’s condition affects large areas of her intestines and is scattered throughout her gastrointestinal tract. She will have a few good months and then a flair up, which includes fever, infection, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, sending them into the hospital to recover.

Since her diagnosis, Minna has spent countless days in the hospital. Most nurses on the third floor of St. Joseph’s Hospital know them by name. In spring of 2012, Minna’s flair up of Crohn’s was so bad that she and Andy spent most of May and all of June in the hospital, most of that time in ICU. She spent all of July on oxygen getting strong enough for surgery. And, finally, in August, at the age of 31, she underwent surgery for a colostomy. Recovery was long and difficult for this tiny sweet lady and her loving husband.

That was three years ago and things went well, for a while. Andy and Minna went hiking and camping again, and Minna volunteered as a counselor at Camp Oasis, a camp for children with Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis. But, a flair up last fall caused more infection and new issues. Her doctor tried to avoid more surgery and held off until spring. In May, Minna was back in the hospital for a week, but that recovery lasted only a few days. She is now back at St. Joseph’s again and facing surgery as soon as she is strong enough, which will probably be by the end of the month.

Insurance can do only so much for this precious couple: daily cost for parking at the hospital; gas for Andy to and from work and the hospital; salary loss due to Minna’s inability to work. Andy and Minna give so much to the people around them in so many different ways. Please help this young couple as they bravely face another battle with this terrible disease called Crohn’s. Every little bit will help ease the financial stress. Your prayers and offerings are greatly appreciated.  Thank you!