Frisk Family Medical Fund

I've been trying to think of a way to help the Frisk Family for months, and am so grateful for this opportunity to be working with Razoo to start this fundraiser for such a deserving family. The Frisk Family is working to raise money to cover medical costs that are not covered by insurance.

Jenny and I lived in the same neighborhood growing up, and I was heartbroken to hear what her beautiful family is going through. She and her husband, Gary, have three amazing children who all suffer from a rare white blood cell disease called Eosiniphilic Esophagitis and Eosiniphilic Gastroenteritis (also known as EGID’s). All three children also have asthma, eczema, and other aero-digestive conditions they each deal with individually.

The Frisk children can eat hardly anything. The air they breathe makes them sick. Friends and family homes are not safe because of the severe reaction to pet dander all three experience. They have to stress, worry, and prepare for birthday parties, holidays, family parties, every event for school, etc. because the smallest amount of food can either kill them or make them violently sick for weeks. Needless to say, nothing ever feels normal for them.

The amount of medical bills has been catastrophic ending in two medical bankruptcies, and every dime goes straight to medical co-pays, prescriptions, expensive allergy-friendly foods, and medical equipment and supplies. There are treatments, each of child needs and they do not have near the funds they need to cover the costs.

Jaxen, age 7
Jaxen has had 6 surgical procedures, 2 endoscopies, 6 hospitalizations, and lots of allergy testing along with loads of labs, MRI’s, CAT scans, and x-rays.

His current diagnoses: Eosiniphilic Gastroenteritis, obstructive sleep apnea, lactose intolerance, allergic rhinitis, asthma, Mandibular Dysplasia, and an unknown (at this time) aero-digestive condition.

Allergies:
Outdoor: ALL/EXTREME - all grasses, all molds, all weeds, all spores, all trees, pollens
Pet: dog, cat, horse, and rabbit
Known food allergies: milk, chicken, potato, corn, beef

Tieler, age 5
Tieler has had 7 hospitalizations, Esohageal dilation procedure, extensive allergy testing, and MANY MANY labs, x-rays MRI’s, CAT scans, swallow studies, EKG’s, EEG’s, etc.

Her current diagnoses: Esoiniphilic esophagitis, food and environmental allergies, GERD, asthma, Carnitine deficiency, seizures, an over-active immune system, and some undiagnosed health conditions.

Allergies:
Anaphylactic: milk, eggs, cashews, pistachios, peanuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds
Other food allergies: chicken, oranges, almonds, pecans, hazelnut, black walnut, tree nuts, lamb, watermelon, pear, onion, apricots
Pet: dog, cat, horse, and rabbits

Boston, age 2
Boston had RSV at 9 months, and had tubes placed in his ears at 11 months.

His current diagnoses: GERD, Eosiniphilc esophagitis, sleep apnea, and asthma

Allergies:
Food allergies: milk, egg, almond, pecan, peanut, rice, tomato
Pet: cat, dog, horse, rabbit
Environmental: ALL

Not only are three children in & out of the hospital and doctor's offices, but Gary became ill in February 2012 with his first cancer scare. Gary had two tumors and some layers of the side of his bladder removed. He was treated with chemo therapy and is currently cancer free. Bladder cancer has a ridiculously high chance of recurrence, so he will receive bladder scopes every three months for two years, and every six months after for the rest of his life so that it can be caught early and treated effectively.

Jenny has also been very sick the past 18 months. She was diagnosed with adrenal insufficiency, and just had a PICC line of antibiotics for a bladder/kidney Salmonella infection. The only antibiotic that the infection is not resistant to is one that Jenny has an immune system & allergic reaction to. The doctors have things "mostly" figured out and she is finally starting to feel better.

Please consider sharing this fundraiser AND making a donation. As a community, we can make a difference and help a family who is so much in need.

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This post is sponsored by Razoo, as part of a campaign with Blueprint Social. All thoughts, ideas, and opinions are my own.
All photos of the Frisk Family are by Shotz by Chotz