The Pickus Family

Carter was involved with a gunshot wound to his face inflicted by a family member who suffers from mental illness on September 8, 2022. Unfortunately, the wound severely injured his entire lower part of his mandible, chin and face.  We spent 7 weeks and 1 day in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.  With this stay came medical expenses with insurance that will be obscene for our out of pocket responsibility and because the reconstructive surgeries will go into next year we will have two family maximums to cover.  We also took a huge hit to income because of both of us being present for the first week and a half while huge decisions were to be made and we could not work.  The added expense of one of us at the hospital and the other commuting back and forth and the overall just expense of it all has created a huge financial burden for our family.  We still have two major surgeries that we will need to go back for additional 7- 14 day stays as well.   If you would like to see his whole journey please feel free to visit his caringbridge for more info https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/carterpickus