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This is The Firecracker, my daughter, who turns 12 while she's in inpatient treatment for an eating disorder. 
She's dealt with food refusal, literally, since the day she was born. 
This is her first birthday: 
<img class="not-resizable" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/23209858_1503421955.3661_funddescription.jpg" alt="" width="100%" /> In this picture, she weighed only 12 pounds. She was more interested in molding and shaping the food than she was in *ever* eating it.  
We "didn't know what we didn't know," and multiple pediatricians told us, "She's fine, just small for her age." Or they said, "She isn't *losing* weight, so we don't have anything to worry about." 
She was diagnosed with acid reflux disease, food allergies, and chronic constipation by age two--all of which certainly contributed to her eating problems.  
But when those issues were resolved, the eating problems didn't go away.
(You can read her first "Acute Food Refusal" story here: [deleted]) 
She wasn't growing properly--but thanks to moving every two years, new pediatricians had trouble believing that her growth was a *problem*. 
For example, this is The Firecracker with her sister, The Shy Violet. At this point, they both wore the same size clothing.  <img class="not-resizable" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/23209858_1503422303.7245_funddescription.jpg" alt="" width="100%" /> Now, here's a photo taken 1 month later, where you can clearly see the age difference: The Firecracker was 6, and The Shy Violet was 3.  
<img class="not-resizable" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/23209858_1503422357.3621_funddescription.jpg" alt="" width="100%" /> That's not normal. That's not good. But none of her doctors saw it as a problem.  At age 9, The Firecracker started eating so little, that one day she couldn't stand, and saw black spots in front of her eyes.
 
(You can read the story of those days here: [deleted])
 
We did an outpatient treatment, at home, called "Maudsely Family-Based Therapy," and she gained 20% of her body weight in only three months. It was horrible, as you can read in the blog, but it was also a *miracle*.  
However, two years later, she's hit puberty, and relapsed so hard, that we can no longer give her the detailed, constant, consistent monitoring that we could give her then. 
For a variety of reasons: 
<img class="not-resizable" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/23209858_1503423055.0343_funddescription.jpg" alt="" width="100%" />
These are our four daughters.  Clockwise from the top, they are The Shy Violet (9), The Marathon Runner (5), The Supergirl (3), and The Firecracker (12).
  Yesterday, The Firecracker was admitted into an inpatient clinic, specifically for kids aged 9-15.
The GOOD NEWS is that she was ready, she wants to get better, and she knows that this is a necessary step for her to conquer this illness.  
When we left, she was smiling. 
<img class="not-resizable" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/23209858_1503423484.7972_funddescription.jpg" alt="" width="100%" /> (vacation last year)  She'll be there for anywhere from 4-10 weeks. (Fully inpatient for 2-4 weeks, then able to come home in the evenings for 2-10 weeks of "partial hospitalization.") 
We also have INSURANCE, which covers 100% of her costs after our deductible is met.  
The bad news is that we live an hour and a half away, and our car just broke down, (brakes went out, plus the air compressor has to be replaced) and we still have to pay $3500 for her care. 
<img class="not-resizable" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/23209858_1503423202.2588_funddescription.jpg" alt="" width="100%" /> Please, don't feel pressured to give. 
My husband has a good job, I'm a freelance writer with a couple of paying clients, and I'm looking for a full time job.  We're not going to starve, or pull her out of care, if you can't afford to give anything. 
However, financial stress, and unexpected expenses, have been piling up on our family.  If you can, and if you are able to give without stress, we would appreciate any help you can give.  
The first $3500 will go to pay the deductible &amp; copay for her admission. I don't know how much the car repair will be yet. Anything *above* that will go for childcare for the younger children while we care for The Firecracker, or other bills. 
Thank you so much. 
 
<img class="not-resizable" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/23209858_1503423860.0927_funddescription.jpg" alt="" width="100%" />

#TheFirecracker's ongoing support

My story begins at my diagnosis of Stage IV Colon Cancer on March 20, 2014. I had an ultrasound in January 2014 for my gall bladder as the doctor thought that might be the cause of my constant nausea. They believed anemia was the cause of my tiredness and had put me on iron pills to alleviate that. The ultrasound of my gall bladder revealed nodules in my liver. A liver biopsy was ordered and revealed to be cancer that had metastasized from the colon. I had a colonoscopy to identify the extent of the tumor there. I then started on a regime of chemotherapy, Folfox. I was on that twice a month for six months. I then went on 5-FU twice a month for another six months. The tumors started to grow again while on the lower chemotherapy, 5-FU. I was then put on the heavier chemotherapy Folfiri. I was on this twice a month for six months. I then was on 5-FU for a small turn. They decided to try out a new chemotherapy drug, Lonsurf, to see if I responded to it in the Spring of 2016. I had a scan done in June/July of 2016 that showed that the Lonsurf did not affect the tumor and that I now had a sizable tumor in my liver, though the colon tumor was gone. It was decided to have a liver resection to remove the tumor and any other tumor they could find. So in August 2016 I had liver resection surgery done and the surgeon was confident they removed all present tumors. I then had a scan done on December 2016 which revealed that while the surgery had removed the tumors from August, there were now 20+ new tumors in my liver and several new smaller ones in both of my lungs. Our next step is to have a liver biopsy done to test for chemosensitivity on the tumors to see if certain chemotherapies will affect them more than others. Then I will start on chemotherapy again and hopefully some immunotherapy drugs that will help my immune system better fight the tumors. My CEA count (blood cancer marker) is the highest its has ever been at just over 1000. We will continue to work toward healing and survival. The funds recieved will help us to pay for the integrative portion of my care. For the last 2.75 years we have been able to pay for trips and the integrative portion because we were able to cash in a life insurance policy I had. Unfortunately we have tapped it out. God provides and I know many people have asked how they can help. The prayers have been beneficial and if you feel led to help out financially we will be blessed by your generosity. Some people might ask "why continue with the integrative part if you can not afford it?"; ,my husband had an acquaintance that told him he had no costs for his wife's cancer treatment as they had just chosen the isurance paid clinical treatment. That man's wife is dead. My family is not ready for me to leave this world yet; so I'll continue to fight and try what will work. I have already lived nine months longer than my initial survival date and hopefully will live long enough to see all my children grown.

TimberLaMont's Cancer Fund

Martha Nemec

Martha Nemec

Martha Nemec

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TimberLaMont's Cancer Fund

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