We have an update for you all! Claire was able to be discharged from the hospital on 9/28, 3 weeks to the day she was admitted. She started her recovery program at Thrive Wellness on 9/29.
At every turn we can see God’s provision in our family’s life. Due to her age and her celiac disease, finding recovery support has been difficult. The team at Thrive worked very hard to accommodate Claire and our family so she could leave the hospital and start the next phase of her journey while living at home. Our insurance company does not cover mental health services and we were being presented with a significant expense to get her the care she needs. Between your financial gifts and a scholarship, the cost has been completely covered!
We are beyond grateful for your generosity toward our family. It is overwhelming and very humbling to receive provision from all over the country. We are now able to set Claire up for recovery and success going forward in her life. Claire’s name means ‘bright’ and her struggles have weighed her down these last 4 years. We can see her light shining brighter, positively affecting those around her. Even when she was in the hospital she brought life and laughter to those who work there. Thank you for helping her shine brightly again!
Sincerely,
Tony and Kelsey
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Hello all, thank you for considering stepping in to support our dear friends the Billetts during a challenging time. Many of you may know this, but Tony and Kelsey's daughter Claire has had a rough couple of years. After a long and arduous process of figuring out why she struggled for years with pain and nausea after eating, she finally was diagnosed with celiac disease last year. Unfortunately, the repeated trauma and longevity of those symptoms for her has caused a lot of difficulty psychologically, as she was subjected to a recurring negative stimulus (not feeling well) after every meal for such a long time. More recently, Claire was diagnosed with Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID). Essentially, her brain learned over time to associate food with pain and discomfort, and therefore she has not been able to engage in normal eating habits. This summer her condition deteriorated, and she lost a substantial amount of weight and eventually was not able to eat at all for a couple of days.
On September 7th, Claire was admitted to Renown hospital to treat her severe dehydration and malnourishment, and start her on a path toward healing. She has been treated there ever since, as her body needs to be moved toward a much healthier place physically before she will be able to be discharged. After discharge, it is likely she will require ongoing inpatient treatment for this condition, to help retrain her brain that food is safe and enable her to move toward a healthy relationship with eating. Because of her age as well as the fact that she has celiac disease, this will require some pretty specialized treatment at a facility that will be able to manage her care effectively.
This situation results in a tremendous burden for the entire family. Since Claire has been hospitalized, Kelsey has remained steadfastly by her side, and therefore has been unable to work. As Kelsey is a self-employed professional, this lost income results in a big financial hit for their family. Additionally, the medical bills for this prolonged hospital stay (which is estimated to be about 5 weeks long altogether) along with the cost for longer term treatment for the eating disorder are sure to be substantial. On top of the financial burden there is also of course the huge emotional toll on Kelsey, Tony, Winston and Claire, as their family and routine has been disrupted, and the kids are both enduring situations that no child should have to endure.
We are asking all those who know and love this amazing family to come together and help alleviate this burden for them. Any amount that you are able to contribute will go towards helping the Billett family cover their regular expenses while Kelsey is unable to work as normal, and cover the new expenses arising from the medical care that Claire needs to thrive. We thank you so much for considering supporting them, and in so doing being the hands and feet of Jesus through this trying time in their lives.
If you'd like to help in another tangible way, they also have a meal train: https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/kv5v0z
"And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased." Hebrews 13:16
