The Benoit Family
Our Story
Logan has been struggling with Ulcerative Colitis since he was about 10-11 years old. Just this year he decided to stay with me permanently to finish out his senior year and go to college to be a welder. About a month ago Logan started getting sick. We thought he had Covid and it was negative. He was still not getting any better. So I took him to Children's Hospital to get checked out. Of course they ran another Covid test. You can never be too careful. The doctors ran a bunch of bloods tests, x-rays, imaging, scans, etc. Thankfully nothing points to cancer. The doctors did confirm hyperthyroidism. He also has autoimmune hepatitis. He also has a really bad flare up from his colitis. He had a liver biopsy done as well because it is inflamed.
It has been almost a month and the doctors wanted to make sure they had the right diagnosis to give him the right medications. In the mean time I have been driving back and forth to the hospital. I took time off of work to be with Logan during the day and home at night to take care of his siblings. I am almost out of leave and have asked my work for donated leave. I am a veteran and a single mom with one income trying to make ends meet. Logan lost a lot of weight so I had to buy him new clothes. Parking every day costs money thankfully for now a social worker was able to provide some free parking vouchers. I am able to get meal vouchers so that I can eat for free but I also have food sensitivities so I am having to buy extra food to bring to the hospital. Logan has been eating a ton more being that he is on steroids and he needs to gain weight. According to county I am not eligible for food support and emergency funds being I am just over the income guidelines. Logan is getting medical assistance so the medical is not a problem. I normally work from home so saving money on gas is a plus but since Logan is in the hospital I am spending more money on gas. I am too tired when I get home to even cook for my other kids and they do know how to cook for themselves but they are still learning how to cook. I have been spending more money on food. I have tried locating food shelves that do deliver. I had an emergency fund but now that is gone trying to keep up with bills and taking care of my family needs. Once Logan gets home he going to need space and certain foods to help him heal his colon and liver. I want to get back to saving for my emergency fund etc.
Family Updates
So Logan had labs done about a couple weeks ago and they were off but the GI doc says it’s not urgent. She wants to monitor them. No surgery as of now. Doc wants to increase stellar shots to every 4 weeks to see if that makes a difference. So for now we wait. We had to move cuz the landlord would not renew the lease. I had to borrow money from my sister. Praise god for her in my life. I keep praying that we can get into something bigger but that doesn’t cost so much. I hate borrowing money from family. I also had to borrow money from my daughter for groceries. So my paycheck this week is already almost gone. I’m praying for a miracle with finances and that Logan’s labs would go back down to normal. Thank you all so much for your prayers and donations.
MRI is scheduled for this month. The surgeon wants to make sure it’s not crohns before deciding surgery or not. Logans iron and white blood cell counts have dropped. The GI doc wanted to admit him into the hospital but he doesn’t think he needs to. So hoping with him trying to eat more and starting him on iron pills will help. He is having stomach pains and now he says he feels bloated. Praying it goes away. We are moving next month to a bigger place and I know he is looking forward to that as well as the rest of my kids. They finally all get there own rooms. Well except me. I will be in the living room. Same price as our current place but extra bedroom. Praying everything will settle down so Logan can enjoy life. He is saying again how if he dies he doesn’t care. He has been coming to church with me so hoping his mindset will change. Thank you so much for the donations and prayers!
We talked with the surgeon about removing his colon. Well it’s a 3 part surgery and Logan is kind of scared about it cuz it will take about a year for the whole process. He is getting an increase of his stellar shots. His colon is so inflamed the GI doc put him on another med in hoping to calm his colon down. We still have time to decide on surgery. Right now just looking at options. The surgeon wants to have an MRI done to make sure he doesn’t have chrones. For now we wait.