Ari's MS Fund for HSCT in Russia

Hi everyone, 

My husband Ari Arambatzis, was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis on the 28/09/16. Ari is a hard working husband and daddy-to-be (for the first time, due in April). He is the family clown and loves to make people laugh - and we love him all that much more for it. I am sharing Ari's story with all of you, as we need your support in order to get funds to travel to Russia for the HSCT procedure (stem cell transplant) - which he will be starting on the 23/05/17 and lasts for 1 month.

This procedure includes stem cell removal, intense chemo, stem cell transplant and isolation. The procedure alone is $65,000 plus our flights, accommodation for me and our baby, transport to and from hospital and as you can imagine, much much more. This procedure will be life changing and will hopefully ensure that Ari gets to walk his daughter (if it's a girl) down the aisle on her wedding day or if its a boy, he will be able to play footy with him, go fishing and do all that boy stuff. Please help us with your generosity as we are counting on you as much as we are counting on the procedure. 

Six months prior to the diagnosis, Ari had felt numbness and loss of strength in his left leg. At the time he had gone to his GP who told him it was his body responding differently to stress now that he is getting older (Ari is only 31).  Those symptoms lasted for two weeks and then went away. 

Six months after that, is when we knew something was wrong. Ari was enjoying his annual leave at home when he woke up one day with severe dizzy spells. They would come on suddenly, last anywhere from 30 - 60 seconds and then go. He would get about 15 of them a day. We called a locum who said that he had vertigo and gave him medication. The medication took away the dizzy spells within a week. As the dizzy spells stopped, new symptons began. He started getting pins and needles travelling from his tummy and spreading all over his body. The pins and needles were so severe that he was unable to drive, work, dress properly, brush his teeth, and that's only to name a few. Within a week, Ari went to his GP to find out what was wrong. The GP did blood tests and found that there was 'something' in his bloods but not exactly sure what. His GP referred him to a specialist and from there he had an MRI. During all that time (about 3 weeks) Ari was not getting better just worse, being either bed or couch ridden. The MRI showed that Ari had more than 15 Lessions (scaring from MS attacks) in his brain and several on his spinal cord. We were admitted to hospital straight away for emergency steroid therapy which lasted three days. While in hospital it was the most heartbreaking time. Ari failed all his coordinations tests. Try touching your nose with index finger, pulling it away and then back at your nose. Most people should be able to do it with ease. Ari however, kept poking any part of his face but not his nose. He couldn't walk a straight line without almost falling on the ground. He could not tell whether his wrist was pointing up or down. He was a mess physically but more importantly emotionally. He could not carry out his day to day activities... I had to feed him, give him water, tie his shoe laces, button his jeans, help him put shoes on, seatbelt on, unscrew a bottle for him to drink water and so much more. Ari was a toddler in a mans body.

He was diagnosed with Relapsing - Remmitting MS which is not normally aggressive, however, his is aggressive due to having 2 or maybe 3 attacks in a short amount of time. The neurologist at the hospital stated to us that Ari must start on one of the strongest treatments (which is an IV Infusion) ASAP to prevent any more attacks BUT if he tests positive to a virus (JC) he could get brain swelling, brain damage and die. To rule out that he is not testing positive he would need to do a blood test that'll take about 2 months before we get the results, but the neurologist insisted that we do not have time to wait for the results and we need to start the treatment within 2-3 weeks. 

As soon as we were discharged we went to see a friend of ours who had the same condition and had recently had the same procedure in Russia with amazing results. She and her husband gave us all the information on the procedure along with the contact details to begin our application for Russia. They were truly a God send for us at the time when we were so lost in the diagnosis, the pregnancy and how Ari's MS will affect our family, and with information overload about MS, treatments, risks, side effects etc. 

A few days later, we submitted our application. Two weeks later we were accepted to travel to Moscow for the treatment. We are so lucky that we have been accepted so soon, but that means we need to find the money just as soon, so that Ari can get the treatment needed. 

Currently, Ari had his first infusion treatment yesterday (18/10/16) and has been able to return back to work with the help of vitamins prescribed by his new GP. He is able to function better but the fear of another relapse (attack) is always at the back of our minds... 

The countdown for Ari's 'cure' has started!

Your generosity and support would be enormously appreciated for the diffuicult journey that awaits us. 

On behalf of Ari, our (unborn) baby and myself, we thank each and every one of you in advance.

Sophia <3