Jake's Fund to Fight HSP
Donation protected
My name is Candace and I have started this account to try to help my cousin, Crystal and her family as they face increasing mounds of medical bills and weeks of missed work while they remain with their 4 year old son in the hospital.
Their little boy, Jake, was diagnosed with HSP (Henoch-Schonlein Purpura) on Friday, December 9th, 2016. He spent that weekend at home struggling to walk with severe joint pain and swelling as his rash began to progress down his legs. He was admitted to Cook Children's Hospital in Fort Worth, Texas Sunday, December 11, 2016 after developing severe abdominal pain and increasing swelling in his arms and legs. He was found to have a small intestinal blockage at that time and was started on high dose IV steroids to reduce the inflammation in his vessels and joints. The steroids have now proved to be not enough for him, even at their maximum doses. The rash has now spread all over his body. On 12/15/16, he was started on IVIG (IV Immunoglobulin) to try to help his body rid itself of the antibodies causing his extreme pain, inflammation, and vessel damage. They are monitoring his D-Dimer levels (the indicator of how severe his disease is) and his hematocrit closely to make sure he isn't losing too much blood. He is no longer allowed to eat as it can increase his risk of GI bleeding and may not get to eat for another 7-10 days. He will likely require TPN through a central line to keep his body fed vital nutrition during this time. His little body is fighting hard. If Jake doesn't show some improvement soon, the next steps are plasmapheresis and possibly even chemo. His D-Dimer levels continue to rise despite IVIG infusions.
HSP is an autoimmune disorder that causes inflammation and bleeding in all of his small vessels in his little body. The biggest risks he faces is developing a severe GI bleed, a bowel obstruction, or kidney failure. The window of risk for kidney failure developing is anytime between now and 6 months from now, therefore he will be required to follow up closely for symptoms for at least 6 months after he is released from the hospital. They are looking at possibly 2-3 more weeks of Jake being hospitalized, maybe even longer. He will spend Christmas and likely New Year's in the hospital this year. Even once he gets to come home, he will have to kept home quarantined from any possible exposure to illness for at least one month.
His parents are missing work as they remain at his side every minute during this very heartbreaking time. Crystal, his Mommy, is pregnant and due in February with Jake's little sister, Abigail. Anyone who knows this family personally knows how hard they have fought to get Jake and his sister into this world.
Please consider donating to help this sweet family pay Jake's multiplying medical bills and to help sustain them while they both remain at his side for this long battle. With all that their family is facing, their medical expenses are the least of their worries at the moment. However, it sure would help lighten the weight of what they are carrying now and down the long road ahead. Any amount is deeply appreciated and needed.
Thank you so much for your prayers and support!

Their little boy, Jake, was diagnosed with HSP (Henoch-Schonlein Purpura) on Friday, December 9th, 2016. He spent that weekend at home struggling to walk with severe joint pain and swelling as his rash began to progress down his legs. He was admitted to Cook Children's Hospital in Fort Worth, Texas Sunday, December 11, 2016 after developing severe abdominal pain and increasing swelling in his arms and legs. He was found to have a small intestinal blockage at that time and was started on high dose IV steroids to reduce the inflammation in his vessels and joints. The steroids have now proved to be not enough for him, even at their maximum doses. The rash has now spread all over his body. On 12/15/16, he was started on IVIG (IV Immunoglobulin) to try to help his body rid itself of the antibodies causing his extreme pain, inflammation, and vessel damage. They are monitoring his D-Dimer levels (the indicator of how severe his disease is) and his hematocrit closely to make sure he isn't losing too much blood. He is no longer allowed to eat as it can increase his risk of GI bleeding and may not get to eat for another 7-10 days. He will likely require TPN through a central line to keep his body fed vital nutrition during this time. His little body is fighting hard. If Jake doesn't show some improvement soon, the next steps are plasmapheresis and possibly even chemo. His D-Dimer levels continue to rise despite IVIG infusions.
HSP is an autoimmune disorder that causes inflammation and bleeding in all of his small vessels in his little body. The biggest risks he faces is developing a severe GI bleed, a bowel obstruction, or kidney failure. The window of risk for kidney failure developing is anytime between now and 6 months from now, therefore he will be required to follow up closely for symptoms for at least 6 months after he is released from the hospital. They are looking at possibly 2-3 more weeks of Jake being hospitalized, maybe even longer. He will spend Christmas and likely New Year's in the hospital this year. Even once he gets to come home, he will have to kept home quarantined from any possible exposure to illness for at least one month.
His parents are missing work as they remain at his side every minute during this very heartbreaking time. Crystal, his Mommy, is pregnant and due in February with Jake's little sister, Abigail. Anyone who knows this family personally knows how hard they have fought to get Jake and his sister into this world.
Please consider donating to help this sweet family pay Jake's multiplying medical bills and to help sustain them while they both remain at his side for this long battle. With all that their family is facing, their medical expenses are the least of their worries at the moment. However, it sure would help lighten the weight of what they are carrying now and down the long road ahead. Any amount is deeply appreciated and needed.
Thank you so much for your prayers and support!
Organizer and beneficiary
Candace Watson
Organizer
Mineral Wells, TX
Crystal Schramm
Beneficiary
