Forrest the fighter and his family

Please, let me introduce you to my brave son Forrest, who came into this world much earlier than expected, at just 30 weeks. He's facing some tough challenges with an Imperforate anus and Hypospadias. From the moment he was born, it's been a rollercoaster of emotions and worry.

Right after birth, Forrest had to undergo a crucial surgery to address his imperforate anus, and it resulted in a colostomy of the larger intestine. I remember how scared we were during that time, hoping and praying for his strength and resilience to shine through. Forrest was doing well and on June 26th had to undergo another surgery to revise those stomas as they started to close because of how small they were when first created.

After this Forrest soared! We are days from going home when everything took a scary turn. On July 20th , Forrest fell seriously ill, it was so sudden and frightening. I can't even describe the panic that took over our hearts when he had to be intubated and even flatlined for a moment. The fear of losing him was unbearable.

The medical team has been incredible, working tirelessly to save his life. They conducted an emergency exploratory laparotomy on July 21, only to find out about malrotation in his small intestines, causing painful twisting. Another complex surgery followed, where they had to untwist everything and even remove his appendix. It was such a critical situation that they had to temporarily close and immobilize him to ensure he remained stable.

Forrest is such a fighter, and he pulled through that intricate surgery. But it wasn't without its challenges. The next day, July 22nd, They had to remove 44cm of his small intestine, leaving him with a temporary jejunostomy. It breaks our hearts to see him going through all of this at such a young age.

And the journey doesn't end there. In about 6-8 weeks, he's scheduled for another surgery to reposition these new stomas. Then, in another 2 months, he faces yet another daunting operation to create an anus and revise the hypospadias. It feels like a never-ending road, and I'm worried about how much more he has to endure.

The past months have been filled with emotions, and our family has been through so much. Forrest has spent countless days in the NICU, where the medical team is giving their all to care for him. The expenses have been overwhelming, with medical bills, gas, food, and all the support we need to ensure Forrest's well-being.

We never imagined being in this situation, but we're reaching out to our compassionate community for help during these rare and challenging circumstances. Your contributions can make a world of difference, offering financial relief and showing us that we're not alone in this journey.

Forrest's journey is one that unites us all, reminding us of the strength of humanity. Your kindness and generosity can help write the next chapters of Forrest's life, filled with hope, healing, and happiness. Together, we can be the unwavering support system that this little warrior needs. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for considering joining us on this incredible mission to uplift Forrest and our family during this trying time.