Drury Family Medical Expenses
Donation protected
Man, all we have to say at this point is thank you, to all of you! Because if you’re reading this right now it is due to the love, support, care and initiative of some incredible family members and friends of ours. Before outlining our situation I just want to praise God because He has already been doing incredible things to care for and provide for our family. Whether it be Spirit-led gifts from people who had no idea what was going on with our daughter-to-be, to sovereign appointments with Christian songwriters who offered to pray for us and encourage us, we have been blown away with the love and generosity that God has poured out on us through His people. Praise God indeed!
My wife, Sarah, and I learned earlier this year (to our surprise) that we were pregnant with our first child! Man was that a shock in and of itself that required much prayer and rest in God because we already felt inadequate to care for this child He is putting in our care. We started preparing, praying, forgetting to pray and then remembering again as we waited to learn more about our child.
We went into our gender ultrasound/checkup in early May and, suffice it to say, were shocked when the ultrasound tech and doctor informed us that our baby likely had spina bifida, a condition where the spinal column doesn’t completely close and is exposed throughout the pregnancy until it can be surgically repaired. We were heartbroken that evening as we considered what this could mean for our daughter and her overall development (the subsequent symptoms can vary greatly in each individual person). So we began researching treatments and consulting with doctors in Nashville and Houston to see what options lay before us. We were specifically hopeful to be considered for an early intervention procedure where the spina bifida is corrected in the womb, so we went through a few more tests to ensure nothing else could hinder our daughter’s development/survival. It was during these tests that we also found out she has Turner’s Syndrome, a condition where the majority (in her case) of her cells have only one X chromosome instead of two, which can carry it’s own box of varying symptoms. While not a disqualification from the procedure, it alerted the doctors to look extra carefully at her heart which led to the final discovery that it had been developing abnormally. More specifically, the left side of her heart was underdeveloped well below the normal range and her aorta is tightened from the aortic arch to the aortic isthmus. This disqualified us from the early procedure as it was simply too risky to perform that surgery on Sarah and the baby.
So now we have been waiting and praying for the last couple months and while much is still the same, we have a big praise in that the left side of her heart has started to recover and is nearing the normal range!! Praise God because He is still knitting her together in her mother’s womb! Other small complications have arisen but we are so thankful as this was the most detrimental condition to her potential long term viability. So again, praise God for that answered prayer.
What’s next for us:
We have chosen to deliver our daughter (name below :) ) at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston due to the (relatively) close proximity to our home and the high level of care they can provide for her there. We will visit the Houston facilities biweekly-ish for checkups over the next month and a half until we relocate there in mid-September to prepare for her delivery. Then, on October 5th, we will deliver our new daughter into this world via c-section. Per the doctor’s estimates, she will need a repair of the spina bifida on her back, a separate repair of the tightening of the aorta (via one of two types of heart surgeries), and potentially an installation of a shunt (or similar device) for managing the buildup of fluid on her brain due to the spina bifida (google the Chiarri II malformation for more info there). We will stay in Houston until she recovers from these procedures and is cleared to go home. Other potential treatments will include long-term physical therapy for symptoms of the spina bifida (including potential clubbing of her feet due to potential paralysis), Turner’s Syndrome, heart surgeries and any other complications that may arise.
It is hard to say exactly what symptoms will reveal themselves due to the spina bifida and Turner’s as, mentioned above, they can very widely, but we do have some ways you can help:
1) Pray in Jesus’ Name for healing. We still have almost nine weeks until our expected delivery date and God can do ANYTHING, ANYTHING!
2) Pray for our marriage. Whatever befalls from this, if any of it includes the words “special needs child” our marriage is statistically proven to be much harder to maintain. Of course we love each other and don’t plan on it unraveling, but it’s a serious long-term need of prayer!
3) Pray for strength and favor in our travels and work. Delivering and living 3+ hours away from home is less than ideal and will be taxing on us, pray God gives us strength and favor.
4) If you desire, we would appreciate and rejoice in any financial gifts, big or small, that you would like to give. Doing some rough math in our heads regarding our insurance costs and living expenses in Houston, we think that $10,000 should cover the majority of our immediate needs. Any excess that is received will either be saved for expected future expenses we learn of or given away to further the Kingdom of God near and abroad. Before you give, pray, then give if you want.
Again, we are extremely appreciative if you’ve read this far. Thankfully our God has been providing for us and protecting us through this, and we trust that He will continue to provide for our needs. He is faithful and does not forget or neglect those who trust in Him and surrender their lives to His rule, leadership and authority through the power of Jesus’ blood, which was shed on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins.
We have chosen to name her Riley, which means courageous woman :), and look forward to seeing that name bear fruit in her life both now and in the future. We love you all.
Blessings,
Josh+Sarah
My wife, Sarah, and I learned earlier this year (to our surprise) that we were pregnant with our first child! Man was that a shock in and of itself that required much prayer and rest in God because we already felt inadequate to care for this child He is putting in our care. We started preparing, praying, forgetting to pray and then remembering again as we waited to learn more about our child.
We went into our gender ultrasound/checkup in early May and, suffice it to say, were shocked when the ultrasound tech and doctor informed us that our baby likely had spina bifida, a condition where the spinal column doesn’t completely close and is exposed throughout the pregnancy until it can be surgically repaired. We were heartbroken that evening as we considered what this could mean for our daughter and her overall development (the subsequent symptoms can vary greatly in each individual person). So we began researching treatments and consulting with doctors in Nashville and Houston to see what options lay before us. We were specifically hopeful to be considered for an early intervention procedure where the spina bifida is corrected in the womb, so we went through a few more tests to ensure nothing else could hinder our daughter’s development/survival. It was during these tests that we also found out she has Turner’s Syndrome, a condition where the majority (in her case) of her cells have only one X chromosome instead of two, which can carry it’s own box of varying symptoms. While not a disqualification from the procedure, it alerted the doctors to look extra carefully at her heart which led to the final discovery that it had been developing abnormally. More specifically, the left side of her heart was underdeveloped well below the normal range and her aorta is tightened from the aortic arch to the aortic isthmus. This disqualified us from the early procedure as it was simply too risky to perform that surgery on Sarah and the baby.
So now we have been waiting and praying for the last couple months and while much is still the same, we have a big praise in that the left side of her heart has started to recover and is nearing the normal range!! Praise God because He is still knitting her together in her mother’s womb! Other small complications have arisen but we are so thankful as this was the most detrimental condition to her potential long term viability. So again, praise God for that answered prayer.
What’s next for us:
We have chosen to deliver our daughter (name below :) ) at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston due to the (relatively) close proximity to our home and the high level of care they can provide for her there. We will visit the Houston facilities biweekly-ish for checkups over the next month and a half until we relocate there in mid-September to prepare for her delivery. Then, on October 5th, we will deliver our new daughter into this world via c-section. Per the doctor’s estimates, she will need a repair of the spina bifida on her back, a separate repair of the tightening of the aorta (via one of two types of heart surgeries), and potentially an installation of a shunt (or similar device) for managing the buildup of fluid on her brain due to the spina bifida (google the Chiarri II malformation for more info there). We will stay in Houston until she recovers from these procedures and is cleared to go home. Other potential treatments will include long-term physical therapy for symptoms of the spina bifida (including potential clubbing of her feet due to potential paralysis), Turner’s Syndrome, heart surgeries and any other complications that may arise.
It is hard to say exactly what symptoms will reveal themselves due to the spina bifida and Turner’s as, mentioned above, they can very widely, but we do have some ways you can help:
1) Pray in Jesus’ Name for healing. We still have almost nine weeks until our expected delivery date and God can do ANYTHING, ANYTHING!
2) Pray for our marriage. Whatever befalls from this, if any of it includes the words “special needs child” our marriage is statistically proven to be much harder to maintain. Of course we love each other and don’t plan on it unraveling, but it’s a serious long-term need of prayer!
3) Pray for strength and favor in our travels and work. Delivering and living 3+ hours away from home is less than ideal and will be taxing on us, pray God gives us strength and favor.
4) If you desire, we would appreciate and rejoice in any financial gifts, big or small, that you would like to give. Doing some rough math in our heads regarding our insurance costs and living expenses in Houston, we think that $10,000 should cover the majority of our immediate needs. Any excess that is received will either be saved for expected future expenses we learn of or given away to further the Kingdom of God near and abroad. Before you give, pray, then give if you want.
Again, we are extremely appreciative if you’ve read this far. Thankfully our God has been providing for us and protecting us through this, and we trust that He will continue to provide for our needs. He is faithful and does not forget or neglect those who trust in Him and surrender their lives to His rule, leadership and authority through the power of Jesus’ blood, which was shed on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins.
We have chosen to name her Riley, which means courageous woman :), and look forward to seeing that name bear fruit in her life both now and in the future. We love you all.
Blessings,
Josh+Sarah
Organizer and beneficiary
Brittnay Casey
Organizer
Tyler, TX
Joshua Drury
Beneficiary