KICK COVID’S BUTT FOR KEN TETER

If you know Ken Teter, you know a man who is full of life, laughter, and charm. He’d do anything for anyone and now he needs us. The Teter family is dear to us and it is important to me to do what I can to support them. Please read from Lauren’s heart below, be informed about their situation, certainly contribute if you feel led, and pray earnestly for his complete healing. Sincere thanks, Brandi

Hi Everyone,

My name is Lauren Teter. I am Ken’s daughter. I am an ICU nurse at UAB Hospital. I have seen firsthand the devastating and destructive effects of Covid-19 throughout this pandemic while working closely at the bedside with countless patients and family members. Covid-19 is a malicious disease. It does not care who you are, where you are from, what your background is or what job you have. I have personally consoled many family members as they cry on my shoulder begging to see their loved one one last time, and I have held many patient’s hands while they are in isolation, scared, alone, glass doors closed, just them and me trying to remind them what they are fighting for. Never would I have imagined that I would be the family member on the other side of the glass doors looking in.

Two weeks ago, my dad, mom and brother were diagnosed with Covid-19. The sickness started out slowly. With every passing day, they got increasingly more sick. On Saturday, August 14th, my dad decided that managing his condition at home was no longer sufficient and that he required medical intervention. He was admitted to UAB hospital, and that was the last day I was able to speak to him in person. Initially, he was only on a few liters of oxygen. He took a massive turn for the worse on Monday, August 16th where he was rushed to the ICU and he was immediately intubated. Today, my dad is requiring an extremely high level of care including full ventilator support, high levels of oxygen, IV sedation, IV antibiotics, antivirals and tube feedings. There are too many lines and tubes to count. The ICU team at UAB has taken excellent care of him, but my family has been left with a huge hole that cannot be filled in his absence.

We, as a family, have quickly realized that it will take a village for us to be able to get through this. Hospitalization, in any capacity, places a huge financial strain on any family, and with the intense level of care that my dad is receiving, we cannot even fathom what we are about to face since he is the sole provider for our family. Our top priority is to be able to give my dad the best fighting chance to recover and to receive the best medical care so that he can come home and make our family whole again. It is amazing to see the outpouring of love, support and kind words we have received from so many of you, and it goes to show that my dad has not only impacted our lives so positively, but many of yours as well. My dad is strong, funny, warm hearted, hard working, thoughtful and selfless. He is a husband, a father, a son, a brother, a friend, a handyman, a fisherman, a hunter, an Air Force Veteran, an artist, a chef and so much more. He is the light that fills up any room, the laugh that is contagious, and the person that can make you smile even on your worst day. We want to get him well, so he can continue to be that for us and for all of you. I trust that this is not his time to leave this world. Even the smallest donation will make an astronomical difference for our family to help pay my dad’s medical bills. Thank you for taking the time to read this message.

With love,

Lauren