Support for Abbey, Tucker & the whole Luce crew
Donation protected
On Friday, June 28th, Abbey and Patrick went to the hospital to be induced with baby Luce number 6. Tucker Davis Luce was born at 8:35pm weighing 9lbs7oz.
Overnight, Tucker began having difficulty breathing and was admitted to the NICU. After testing, Tucker was diagnosed with a septic infection from Group B strep that Abbey had tested negative for during her pregnancy. This type of infection is incredibly serious - especially to a tiny newborn’s body - and was now in his blood stream, requiring at least 7-10 days in the NICU on IV antibiotics. Abbey and Patrick went home without Tucker on July 1st. Tucker’s cultures and spinal tap both came back clear after starting the IV antibiotics, and he was able to lose his feeding tube and nasal cannula. Abbey and Patrick were told that he’d be released on Monday the 8th.
The night Patrick and Abbey left the hospital, however, Abbey spiked a 102° fever. The next day she went to the doctor where she was immediately admitted to the hospital being diagnosed with both pneumonia and as well as a septic infection.
Despite IV antibiotics Abbey didn’t seem to be getting better. After a multitude of tests and a persistent Physician Assistant advocating for her, Abbey was then diagnosed with postpartum cardiomyopathy: congestive heart failure due to pregnancy. This condition will require Abbey to be on medication for years, if not for the rest of her life. After finally getting a diagnosis and seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, Abbey still didn’t seem to be getting better from the pneumonia and was admitted to ICU on Saturday the 6th.
After spending 2 days in the ICU and 6 days total in the hospital, Abbey was told she’d be released on Monday the 8th with Tucker. However, as they were preparing to finally leave the hospital to go home and be together as a family of 8, Tucker’s doctor ordered some more testing done on some lesions that had appeared near his IV site on his head. Abbey was discharged and she and Patrick went home to try to nap when they received a phone call from Tucker’s doctor that the lesions came back positive for two more potentially life altering infections. He will be required to stay in the NICU for at least 2 more weeks, 3 weeks if the infection travels to his spinal fluid.
As if having your newborn baby and wife both in the hospital with serious blood infections isn’t stressful enough, plus taking care of 5 other kids at home, on Friday the 5th, while Patrick was driving by himself, he got into an accident in their van, totaling it. Thankfully, he was uninjured.
We have an incredible family here that needs our help. While Abbey is finally home to heal, how much healing can a momma do when her newborn baby is still in the NICU? Despite everything she has been through, Abbey is still making trips to the hospital to nurse Tucker. Patrick has been juggling 5 kids at home with a sick wife and sick newborn in the hospital. They are now out the vehicle that is capable of holding their family of 8. The medical future for the Luce family consists of multiple appointments with cardiologists, primary care physicians, infection specialists and both Abbey and Tucker requiring multiple medications for the foreseeable future.
There is absolutely no reason why they should also be worrying about their financial future.
Overnight, Tucker began having difficulty breathing and was admitted to the NICU. After testing, Tucker was diagnosed with a septic infection from Group B strep that Abbey had tested negative for during her pregnancy. This type of infection is incredibly serious - especially to a tiny newborn’s body - and was now in his blood stream, requiring at least 7-10 days in the NICU on IV antibiotics. Abbey and Patrick went home without Tucker on July 1st. Tucker’s cultures and spinal tap both came back clear after starting the IV antibiotics, and he was able to lose his feeding tube and nasal cannula. Abbey and Patrick were told that he’d be released on Monday the 8th.
The night Patrick and Abbey left the hospital, however, Abbey spiked a 102° fever. The next day she went to the doctor where she was immediately admitted to the hospital being diagnosed with both pneumonia and as well as a septic infection.
Despite IV antibiotics Abbey didn’t seem to be getting better. After a multitude of tests and a persistent Physician Assistant advocating for her, Abbey was then diagnosed with postpartum cardiomyopathy: congestive heart failure due to pregnancy. This condition will require Abbey to be on medication for years, if not for the rest of her life. After finally getting a diagnosis and seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, Abbey still didn’t seem to be getting better from the pneumonia and was admitted to ICU on Saturday the 6th.
After spending 2 days in the ICU and 6 days total in the hospital, Abbey was told she’d be released on Monday the 8th with Tucker. However, as they were preparing to finally leave the hospital to go home and be together as a family of 8, Tucker’s doctor ordered some more testing done on some lesions that had appeared near his IV site on his head. Abbey was discharged and she and Patrick went home to try to nap when they received a phone call from Tucker’s doctor that the lesions came back positive for two more potentially life altering infections. He will be required to stay in the NICU for at least 2 more weeks, 3 weeks if the infection travels to his spinal fluid.
As if having your newborn baby and wife both in the hospital with serious blood infections isn’t stressful enough, plus taking care of 5 other kids at home, on Friday the 5th, while Patrick was driving by himself, he got into an accident in their van, totaling it. Thankfully, he was uninjured.
We have an incredible family here that needs our help. While Abbey is finally home to heal, how much healing can a momma do when her newborn baby is still in the NICU? Despite everything she has been through, Abbey is still making trips to the hospital to nurse Tucker. Patrick has been juggling 5 kids at home with a sick wife and sick newborn in the hospital. They are now out the vehicle that is capable of holding their family of 8. The medical future for the Luce family consists of multiple appointments with cardiologists, primary care physicians, infection specialists and both Abbey and Tucker requiring multiple medications for the foreseeable future.
There is absolutely no reason why they should also be worrying about their financial future.
Organizer and beneficiary
Katie Malone
Organizer
Fort Wayne, IN
Patrick Luce
Beneficiary