Help get a van to transport Robert!
This campaign is to help Robert Beckham, who was paralyzed by the H1N1 (Swine flu) vaccine at 14 years old, in 2009. He needs a vehicle to transport him to doctor’s appointments. Right now, he relies on the goodness (and spare time) of friends and family to drive him to these appointments. Many times, he must miss the appointments, since he cannot get a ride. Please, if you can find it in your heart to help him, he would appreciate any amount. Below is a note from Robert:
I’m just laying here thinking about how much things change so fast. One second, I was walking, and the next I was in the pediatric intensive care unit at Sinai Hospital. At first I couldn't move from my neck down. I had so many tests done that there were scars from them drawing my blood. I couldn't eat anything or drink anything for at least a month. I had a tube that went into my nose down through my throat into my belly, which was my only means of nutrition. They tried the normal treatment for reversing paralysis, and I got worse. But I didn't give up, no matter how much I wanted to. I pushed through it. Eventually I started gaining feeling in my left arm. My motivation to get better was so I could play video games, at least. Eventually, I started gaining my left hand back, and I was somewhat playing with one hand.
They drained the fluid from my spinal cord trying to decrease the swelling of my spine, and it failed. They cleaned out all of my blood platelets trying to get out the vaccine. It failed. But I kept pushing. I finally gained full use of my left arm. I slowly started gaining feeling in my right arm. Playing video games was helping me. Occupational therapy helped me a lot, too. I started being able to use my right hand and then my paralysis level dropped to the bottom of my chest in the front, but it's higher in my back. I couldn't even sit in biscuit style with my legs crossed without me falling helplessly over. But with practice, I gained my trunk muscles back.
I was finally able to go back to school for my junior year. Senior year came around, and I needed a spinal fusion. I have metal rods from the bottom of my neck down to my hips, to help keep me upright. Unfortunately, the rods peeled from my spine. I went 8 months without pain medication, because I refuse to take any unless I totally need it. Well I decided to go into a nursing home, so I could get a medical waiver through my insurance. That way I could have home nursing.
Well on January 3rd, I had a fever of 102.9. The nursing home refused to send me to the hospital. I called 911 myself, and they took me to the hospital. Within an hour of me being there, I went into septic shock and cardiac arrest. I flat-lined multiple times. I was pronounced dead twice, in a coma for four days, and woke up with double pneumonia. I lost so much weight and all my strength. Thankfully, God kept me alive.
A lot of people have come and gone from my life. Just cherish your loved ones, and don't take a second for granted. You never know what is going to happen to you. In October, 2014, I had a spinal fusion reversal because my rods were dislocating and fracturing my hips. There was fluid around everywhere. The two local hospitals didn’t want to do anything, so I got driven down to John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. I was in the ICU, because the fluid around everything was infected, and it would have killed me. Then in November, I was rushed back down to John Hopkins ICU, with a fever 105.3. I survived that one, also. God wants me on this earth for some reason. I don’t know what it is, yet, but I am going to figure it out. Sometimes, I wonder why all this has happened to me, but I have the will to live and keep going.
My goal is to be more independent. I'm tired of struggling and having to rely on everyone. I will greatly appreciate everything anyone does to help me live with what I have been dealt. Please consider giving, even just a small amount.
https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=758670394205130
https://www.google.com/search?redir_esc=&hl=en-US&safe=images&oe=utf-8&q=paralyzed+robert+beckham&source=android-browser-suggest&qsubts=1425844890398.
http://medicalmalpracticeblog.nashandassociates.com/2010/03/06/teen-paralyzed-after-getting-h1n1-vaccination-wbal-baltimore/
http://medicalmalpracticeblog.nashandassociates.com/2010/03/06/teen-paralyzed-after-getting-h1n1-vaccination-wbal-baltimore/
