Help Our Little Family

World, meet Arabelle (fondly known as the Mushroom to those who love her).  Arabelle was born last year at 26 weeks gestation only weighing 1 lb 13 oz.  Since then, this tough, feisty girl has endured six surgeries, the first of which was emergency surgery at three weeks of age to save her from a deadly disease known as necrotizing enterocolitis.  The surgery saved her life but wound up taking a portion of her small intestine and most of her large intestine.  The recovery was long and she spent over four months in the NICU.  Since she's been home, she has countless doctor appointments and numerous hospital stays, including one that lasted the majority of this last week. In addition, she will need one more major surgery at least to repair a cleft palate and intestinal stricture.

We have a strong little family, with massive love for our sweet girl.  But I am a single mother and this is a huge burden on any family, even ones with two parents and two incomes.  The strain it is putting on us financially to be in and out of the hospital is becoming too much to bear.  We lived with friends for a while but could not anymore and were lucky enough to finally find a small apartment of our own.  Love grows best in little spaces right?!?! But hospital stays take me away from work (I work as close to full time as I possibly can with her needs and the care of my other children) and cost a lot of money.  This last one has put us in a situation where we may wind up homeless if we can't find a way to make ends meet.  I'm not asking for much.  Just enough to get us through this and the time I will have to take off for the surgery.  The healthy children still must eat and they still need a place to live in addition to the extra medical costs and expenses that come with a hospital stay. Everything at once is overwhelming to say the least. Any little bit helps, and if you can't help, maybe just share it.  Thank you so much!!!