Yusuf has had Sepsis for a Month-Our Family Needs Your Help

On March 22nd of this year the unthinkable happened to my family. While visiting my aunt in rural Illinois from our California home, my 9 yr old son Yusuf’s appendix burst and caused a septic infection, with secondary infection pockets in his stomach. He needed to be medevacked to another hospital. He required major abdominal surgery to remove his shredded appendix and address the infections at the source. His surgeon described the appearance of his abdomen saying that it, “looked like a bomb went off inside him.”

This began his now one month long, ongoing fight. His doctors at Lurie’s Children’s Hospital in Chicago say that he is too sick to get on a plane to go home. I have exhausted my savings paying our rent and utilities in California so that we may keep our home. In addition, I have had to cover food and child care for my other child who is six. and pay out of pocket for many of Yusuf’s expenses as well as all my Type 1 diabetes prescriptions that my insurance won’t cover outside of California.

The stress on our family has been enormous. Watching Yusuf going through major abdominal surgery, multiple MRI’s and drain placements for new infection pockets, transfusions for low hemoglobin, extremely elevated white blood counts, and tubes put into his chest to remove fluids is terrifying. Trying to appear calm to comfort his fears and those of his six-year-old brother, while being surrounded by the uncertainty his illness has created in every area of our lives is exhausting.

Any donation or contribution you can make will help us more than you can imagine. The expenses at home are piling up and I cannot work while staying in Chicago through this ordeal. I am filled with gratitude for the guidance I have received from the exceptional case workers at the hospital, the generous assistance of the Ronald McDonald House who have housed us for the past couple weeks, as well as the help my family has given us. Unfortunately, my inability to work while I care for my family here has created a situation where there is still a gap between our limited resources and the mounting bills for Yusuf’s treatment, plus daily life expenses in two places.

I’ve never made a go fund me but right now with everything we are facing, I ask if you can find it in your hearts to help our family, even just a little. We need a little extra love and support to close that gap in whatever way you are comfortable with. And if you aren’t able to help with a donation, please share and spread this page on your social media, offer your prayers, and if you can, ask your prayer groups and churches to pray for my son and our family.

I will post updates on Yusuf’s condition here, as they become available, so please check back often as even knowing that people care means so much to us.

Thank you so much for your time and love.