Tim's Medical Bills and living expenses
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For any of you who know our brother Tim Bartley, you smile when you say his name. Funny, smart, full of energy and always willing to help...you should now add to the list daily suffering. His life has forever changed with a double diagnosis that has pretty much knocked him on his feet and left us reeling with questions. after months of praying and Doctors they have now named this THING that has changed his life forever. Our active, lively, loving brother will never be the same again. Physically, that is, his attitude is positive and full of humor, typical. The Lord and his family will see him through this.
Tim has been diagnosed with Myositis and Interstitial Lung Disease...I will try to explain and then read Tim's own words below. Both of these things are irreversible
Myositis is a rare desease that inflames the body's own healthy muscle tissue. It progressively weakens the muscles. It is debilitating. Interstitial Lung Disease is progressive scarring of lung tissue. It affects your ability to breath and get enough oxygen into your bloodstream. Once the scarring occurs it is irreversable. Medications can slow damage but you will not full use of your lungs again. Lung Transplants are an option.
We are asking for your help. Please pray that healing come and that God be merciful with the pain he endlessly endures and the side effects of the treatments. We also pray help financially if God lays this on your heart. He can no longer work. He has applied for some state help with medical bills but it will not cover everything, nor will it cover what has already accumulated. He is trying other programs including Social Security and Disability. All of these have waiting periods and are not usually retro active. So, until they kick in he is in need of some help with his monthly bills which include pmt on medical bills. He has rent; utilities; car insurance; the gas money it takes for the 5 hour round trip drive to Seattle for the IVGG treatments; $5000.00 in outstanding medical bills so far; gas for his car and food to eat. It comes to about $2000.00 a month. The waiting periods are 5 months and 6 months for the programs he is applying for so he will need help in the interim. I will be paying his bills directly to the sources from this account.
If you would like to send him a card I am sure he would appreciate it. Let me know and I can give you his addy.
Now for Tims Story
o.k. so on Thursday went to Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle for an infusion IVIG (Intravenous Immunoglovulin) Thursday and Friday. Spent 13 hours in the chair getting the blood protein and medicine infusion. Hoping for the best. My Specialist, Dr. Carlin, stated to me that this might or might not work adn that sometimes you see no improvement till the third or fourth treatment. He also said "this is a dire situatioon adn we need to do a full court press adn you need to get your affairs in order". Making me realize that I am sicker than I thought I was or pretended. Today is Sunday March 9th adn no improvement possibly worse especially with the extreme headaches that accompany this treatment. I also started taking the Cellcept (a transplant med) to slow down my immune system. Can't wait for the vomiting and diarrhea that comes with it but if it helps...My daily struggles at the present are breathing and walking. Getting up off the couch takes time, effort and planning. Thank God I can still walk and drive. It gets very frustrating not being abgle to do all teh things that I ahve been able to do in the past. Always ging 110% non stop, well I just attempted laundry adn that wore me out so not sure how they are going to get dry. LOL I have to stay positive and laugh about it or else I will burst into tears. No sense being in the bitter barn I will go play in the hay.
SEPT - started with some pain in my knees and neck, went to the Chiropractor he recommended going to the doctor after 3 visits because he felt like there was more going on.
OCT - late October went to the doctor for blood tests and they diagnosed me with lupus. Numbness and swelling in joints and hands. Unable to make a fist or hold a pencil at this time.
NOV - Started seeing Dr. Layton, Rheumatologist in Olympia, he was not convinced it was lupus because I was just not a good candidate...more blood tests
DEC - Admitted to the hospital with pneumonia. Health getting probgressively worse. No strength in my muscles at this point. Getting down on my hands and knees I have to pull myself up. There was no strength in my legs to get me off the floor.
JAN - Admitted to St. Peters Providence for 3 days because of my CPK numbers adn heart enzymes. (Creatine Phosphokinase...let me explain CPK numbers if you work out for an hour because you are breaking down muscle fibers to rebuild stronger leaner the CPK number is about 200. on any giving day mine range from 7000-9000) Muscle biopsy done during this time.
FEB - Dr decides I no longer am able to work. As always extreme fatigue and no strength. For someone who has worked since he was 12 adn usually 2 jobs and being always involved in fitness the psychological of this is very daunting as well as the frustration of not being able to do the things I want and am used to doing. Things like getting up off the couch involve a thought out process of how to make it happen
Tim has been diagnosed with Myositis and Interstitial Lung Disease...I will try to explain and then read Tim's own words below. Both of these things are irreversible
Myositis is a rare desease that inflames the body's own healthy muscle tissue. It progressively weakens the muscles. It is debilitating. Interstitial Lung Disease is progressive scarring of lung tissue. It affects your ability to breath and get enough oxygen into your bloodstream. Once the scarring occurs it is irreversable. Medications can slow damage but you will not full use of your lungs again. Lung Transplants are an option.
We are asking for your help. Please pray that healing come and that God be merciful with the pain he endlessly endures and the side effects of the treatments. We also pray help financially if God lays this on your heart. He can no longer work. He has applied for some state help with medical bills but it will not cover everything, nor will it cover what has already accumulated. He is trying other programs including Social Security and Disability. All of these have waiting periods and are not usually retro active. So, until they kick in he is in need of some help with his monthly bills which include pmt on medical bills. He has rent; utilities; car insurance; the gas money it takes for the 5 hour round trip drive to Seattle for the IVGG treatments; $5000.00 in outstanding medical bills so far; gas for his car and food to eat. It comes to about $2000.00 a month. The waiting periods are 5 months and 6 months for the programs he is applying for so he will need help in the interim. I will be paying his bills directly to the sources from this account.
If you would like to send him a card I am sure he would appreciate it. Let me know and I can give you his addy.
Now for Tims Story
o.k. so on Thursday went to Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle for an infusion IVIG (Intravenous Immunoglovulin) Thursday and Friday. Spent 13 hours in the chair getting the blood protein and medicine infusion. Hoping for the best. My Specialist, Dr. Carlin, stated to me that this might or might not work adn that sometimes you see no improvement till the third or fourth treatment. He also said "this is a dire situatioon adn we need to do a full court press adn you need to get your affairs in order". Making me realize that I am sicker than I thought I was or pretended. Today is Sunday March 9th adn no improvement possibly worse especially with the extreme headaches that accompany this treatment. I also started taking the Cellcept (a transplant med) to slow down my immune system. Can't wait for the vomiting and diarrhea that comes with it but if it helps...My daily struggles at the present are breathing and walking. Getting up off the couch takes time, effort and planning. Thank God I can still walk and drive. It gets very frustrating not being abgle to do all teh things that I ahve been able to do in the past. Always ging 110% non stop, well I just attempted laundry adn that wore me out so not sure how they are going to get dry. LOL I have to stay positive and laugh about it or else I will burst into tears. No sense being in the bitter barn I will go play in the hay.
SEPT - started with some pain in my knees and neck, went to the Chiropractor he recommended going to the doctor after 3 visits because he felt like there was more going on.
OCT - late October went to the doctor for blood tests and they diagnosed me with lupus. Numbness and swelling in joints and hands. Unable to make a fist or hold a pencil at this time.
NOV - Started seeing Dr. Layton, Rheumatologist in Olympia, he was not convinced it was lupus because I was just not a good candidate...more blood tests
DEC - Admitted to the hospital with pneumonia. Health getting probgressively worse. No strength in my muscles at this point. Getting down on my hands and knees I have to pull myself up. There was no strength in my legs to get me off the floor.
JAN - Admitted to St. Peters Providence for 3 days because of my CPK numbers adn heart enzymes. (Creatine Phosphokinase...let me explain CPK numbers if you work out for an hour because you are breaking down muscle fibers to rebuild stronger leaner the CPK number is about 200. on any giving day mine range from 7000-9000) Muscle biopsy done during this time.
FEB - Dr decides I no longer am able to work. As always extreme fatigue and no strength. For someone who has worked since he was 12 adn usually 2 jobs and being always involved in fitness the psychological of this is very daunting as well as the frustration of not being able to do the things I want and am used to doing. Things like getting up off the couch involve a thought out process of how to make it happen
Organizer
Tracy Juarez
Organizer
Navarre, FL
