Maggie & Baby Pate Emergency Birth Medical Costs

Infertility. Recurrent loss. High risk. These are words Josh and I have had to hear over and over again spanning the last 5 years. When most people hear of infertility, they may mourn the loss or unexplained issues that a couple may face but do not fully understand the extent of what the couple faces. Not only have we had to walk through grief and loss and years of waiting on unanswered prayers, but we have also dealt with countless doctor visits, surgeries, and fertility procedures. All of this comes with a price no one often considers: medical expenses. Over the years Josh and I have built up and poured out our savings all in the hope of having a family of our own one day. This year, our miracle has finally happened, God has blessed us with our double rainbow baby, Leo. However, the circumstances surrounding his birth were not easy nor expected. On August 5th, I was admitted to the hospital due to a concern for gestational hypertension. That day I was diagnosed with preeclampsia and told I would be staying at the hospital full time for the next two weeks until Leo reached 34 weeks when they would plan to deliver him pre-mature. I was required to stay in the hospital so doctors could monitor my blood pressure, take regular blood draws, and monitor Leo’s heart rate, all to ensure that both Leo and I were safe. Leo was born at 34 weeks via a rushed, 7-minute c-section, as his vitals were dropping at the time of birth. Due to placenta adhesion, the doctors also had to perform a hysterectomy at the time of delivery. Making the decision to keep me safe but forgo all future dreams of having more biological children was one of the hardest and quickest decisions we’ve ever had to make. While Leo was born with the ability to breathe on his own, he was still rushed to the NICU where he spent 24 days growing, gaining strength, and developing an ability to feed on his own. The daily treks to Roanoke from Christiansburg were emotionally draining and the unknown of how he would progress each day was overwhelming. We were beyond excited to bring Leo home and settle into life with our boy. However, since being home we have been hit with another emotionally draining and overwhelming issue: medical expenses. Now, with the medical bills that are rolling in that are our responsibility, we are finding ourselves in a difficult position in trying to figure out how to pay for my 21-day hospital stay, a delivery surgery, and the hysterectomy surgery, along with Leo's 24-day NICU stay. While we have health insurance, our out-of-pocket responsibility is almost equivalent to one year's salary. This year, I answered the call of God to become the children's pastor at our small church where Josh serves as a worship pastor, this came with a huge reduction in salary and a change of health insurance. We have always prided ourselves on being good stewards of our finances and being able to take care of ourselves, but we have learned through this journey and this hospital stay specifically that we need help from our friends, family, and community. So many of you have already poured into us through meals and gifts for Leo, but we are now seeking assistance through this GoFundMe with our medical expenses. Any contribution, big or small, would be appreciated beyond measure!