Answer 3: Fundraisers and Hospitals

Question:

I was wondering if you have done any fundraisers for Abbys illness cost and what your thoughts are on that? Also, does Abby every get nervous when you tell her its time to go to the hospital? Does she see the hospital as a negative thing?

Answer by Brent

We have not personally done any fundraisers. We have beloved friends, family and Christians who have taken it upon themselves to provide us with either funds or resources for different needs that have risen due to Abby's illness.

One of our friends got wood floors donated so we could get the carpet out of house (germs/Abby). Another friend raised money to hire someone to come over and help us with the kids and the house a couple of days a week. Groups of people have been bringing us meals for MONTHS. Several times, financial gifts arrived unannounced for needs that God knew we had. A group of friends across the Internet raised money to buy Abby wigs and hats, which aren't exactly cheap.

Still another friend has helped us more than once when the medicals bills were about to become a point of stress though we never asked him for help. This particular gentlemen single handedly has covered accumulated medical expenses a couple of times.

Our financial needs will continue unabated (whose doesn't?) throughout the lengthy 3 years of treatment, and for a couple of reasons we haven't considered fundraisers ourselves: 1) we are already stretched so thin it's hard to think about adding another responsibility, and 2) the Lord has proven faithful to place our needs on the hearts of the faithful at just the right time. We've always been faithful to bless others, and as the Bible says, you reap what you sow, good or bad. God is good, and by His grace we will continue to have our needs met by God's providence.

Abby doesn't weird out or get scared about the hospital. She gets apprehensive when she know the shots or pokes are coming but over all, the hospital has become part of her life. She knows all the nurses and is very used to being in a hospital room. It's overly familiar for her, so it's almost just an extension of our own home. I think she equates the hospital at times with "pain control" though she cannot articulate that. I think she understands that when she really starts hurting, the hospital is where it's going to get fixed.