Help Dalton and Family Through Medical Crisis

August 9, 2024- Best Update from Liz, Today is the day I have been waiting for! It may have taken us 22 days but we are finally home. The doctor came in today and looked at us both and said, Do you want to go home?” We both replied, “Today?” And in a short 3 hours we were on our way home. His inflammation numbers did go up a little today, but the doctor stated they will fluctuate, which we have seen. His eating is ten times better and the use of the bathroom has gone down tremendously! We go back in two weeks to make sure everything is still stable but my boy is home. I told him it was like when he was leaving from the hospital the day he was born! I was so excited but so nervous. I felt that today. The last time we were sent home he almost died, but I know my good good Lord has brought us healing and peace. Thank you all so very very much for everything. We couldn’t have done this without all of you. We still have a long road but we know we can make it with everyone’s help. Please continue to pray the medicine continues its job and he starts to get his strength back. He almost didn’t make it up our two steps into the house. He is so weak! God bless you all!

August 5, 2024-Update…On Friday, Aug. 2, Dalton had signs of his malnourishment getting worse. He also had an allergic reaction to the Remicade. They gave him meds for the allergic reaction and also saw that his numbers were still going up instead of down. So today they placed an NJ (feeding tube) to get his nourishment. They also started a new medicine called Renvoq, although this medicine takes longer to react. He is still in lots of pain and feeling quite discouraged. Are hopes are the new med and him getting the nourishment his body needs it helps him to feel better. They’d like him to get out of bed and try walking but pain has kept him from that. Things are still just day by day. Please be praying the new medicine works and his numbers go down. That the nourishment helps him feel better and that he is able to get up and do some walking in the hall.

July 31, 2024- Update…Dalton’s sugar dropped low last night. They had him drink apple juice but his stomach could not tolerate it. So they started him on IV fluids with dextrose. He started to have severe pain on the left side of his stomach and was sore to the touch. This had subsided yesterday. The hospitalist came in and ordered an X-ray but stated the GI would probably order a CAT scan, which they did. The GI was afraid he had a perforation which would require immediate surgery taking the colon out. The scan came back with no perforations and the doctor will go over the scan tomorrow. They started another round of Remicade tonight hoping to start things going in the right direction. They told us today Dalton is not out of the woods and still severe. They do not believe he is metabolizing the medicine. If things aren’t looking better tomorrow, they will start another fast acting biological medicine. Then wait 24-48hrs to see if that helps. If the second med doesn’t work they will then decide to do surgery to remove the colon. Dalton possibly will have an NJ tube placed tomorrow to get him the nutrients he needs due to not being able to eat. Please continue to pray that his body will absorb the medication, his colon/intestines calm down and the pain subsides. Prayers for safe travels back and forth to Indy.

I’m Erica Sego, Dalton Abner is my 20-year-old nephew. Dalton loves farming, volunteer firefighting, and was planning to enroll in EMT school. Dalton was in between jobs when he began dealing with daily stomach cramps and uncontrollable bowel issues. Dalton had an emergency appendectomy on June 12. He was still struggling after it so doctors ordered a colonoscopy on June 28. He was told it looked like he could be dealing with Crohn’s disease and to follow up with them in August. Dalton was still declining and unable to leave the house. Eating and drinking were making things worse and causing him pain.

He was admitted to Columbus Regional Hospital on July 12-16. They put him on antibiotics and prednisone hoping to calm down the inflammation. Once home he continued to decline and pain became more severe. He was admitted back to CRH on July 20 and put on IV prednisone. The GI doctors wanted to start medication for Crohn’s but were unable to get the approval they needed. Insurance at CRH was an issue. Dalton continued declining as they couldn’t get him on the medication needed. He was undernourished and has lost 65lbs since June. He stayed dehydrated and in excruciating pain. Family begged to have him moved to a hospital equipped to care for him. After eight days the GI doctors agreed he needed to be transferred to a hospital with GI specialist. He was transferred July 27 to IU Health University Hospital in Indianapolis. They have an amazing team of GI specialist. They said he was more severe than they had expected and surprised at the care he had been through. They started him on the Crohn’s medication he needed. He has had a little bit of relief but is still extremely inflamed and in pain. His body isn’t absorbing the medication as well as it should. Today the plan is to wait 1 or 1 1/2 days to see if he improves more. If not, they plan to put in a colostomy bag to allow his body to heal. Then the hope would be to reverse it down the road. They also had a GI nutrition team start working with him. He is too sick to do some of the other tests so they will wait on those. He was told today this is a marathon and not a race. He is looking at being hospitalized another week with a good chance for it to be longer.

Dalton’s mom, Liz, lives in Columbus. She is healing from a serious brain injury from a fall. She is still undergoing therapy and doctors haven’t released her to work yet. We as a family are looking to raise money to help them with all the expenses. As they navigate his hospital stay, gas, food, and bills. We would relish your prayers and thank you if you're able to donate.