Help David Conquer Lyme Disease
Donation protected
Our 15-year old son David is in a vigorous battle against Lyme Disease. It is ravaging his nervous system and has weakened his body to the point that he can no longer walk across the room unassisted. As a result, he can no longer go to school.
He is getting great care from a brilliant Lyme-Literate doctor right here in Atlanta. But this care is very expensive - to the tune of about $1200 a month when you add up co-pays, doctor visits, blood tests, and multiple medications along with all the out-of-pocket expenses not covered by our plan.
We calculate we will need about $20,000 to cover our out-of-pocket expenses for his care in 2019 alone.
Please help us care for David's medical needs. We are a hard-working family of 6. I was a work-from-home mom for many years while the kiddos were young. I returned to teaching full time just this past summer. We make enough to get by and provide for our children, but David's unexpected medical expenses are more than we can handle.
Every little bit helps. Please give whatever you can - $10, $25, $50... it will all add up.
And PLEASE, share our request on your social profiles. Spread the word so we can get David back to health and back to school!
More of David's Story:
David is our 15 year old son. He was born an old soul - kind, thoughtful, generous, curious, and very loving. He is academically gifted, a fabulous artist, a JV cross country runner, a dedicated Boy Scout, and a devoted brother to his three siblings. But, over the last 6 months, we've watched him fade away before our eyes because of chronic neurological Lyme disease.
Running the Peachtree Road Race 10K with Dad, July 2018
Today, he can barely walk unassisted and must rest most of the day. (He wears noise-canceling headphones all day to counteract extreme noise sensitivity.)
In November 2018, he developed pneumonia. Our doctor treated him with the recommended course of antibiotics and steroids, but he remained sick. In early January 2019, X-rays and testing confirmed double walking pneumonia caused by a bacteria called mycoplasma - a known co-infection for Lyme. This, combined with his extreme fatigue and massive headaches, led our doctor to order a blood test for Lyme Disease.
The tests were positive according to ILADS standards (the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Association) and the search for a Lyme-Literate doctor began.
It took a bit of research, but thanks to David's Aunt Kathy, we were led to see Dr. Crystal Barnwell - right nearby in Decatur, GA. She is brilliant! So far, we are treating David for the main Lyme bacteria (Borellia), as well as co-infections with Babesia, Bartonella, and a yet-to-be-determined fungal co-infection.
David has been under her care for about 5 weeks now and we've seen many positive signs, but his disease continues to progress. On a daily basis he struggles with:
- moderate headaches (much less severe since starting treatment)
- weakness and numbness in his legs
- tremors and muscle spasms in his hands and feet
- noise sensitivity and constant ringing in his ears
- vertigo and poor balance
- intermittent facial paralysis (Bell's Palsy)
- tachycardia (rapid pulse)
- insomnia
- extreme fatigue
He cannot walk without assistance, must go down the stairs on his behind, and can no longer attend school. He has been put on our county's "hospital - homebound" program, so a teacher comes to the house twice a week to help him keep up with his assignments. (No small feat since he is maintaining a straight A average in chemistry, computer science, and Spanish 2!)
We hope he will be well enough to return to school in the fall, but a lot of that depends on us being able to keep him on Dr. Barnwell's specific medication regimen.
And that's where you, dear donor, come in!
Please give generously to help us help David. He is a source of grace, light, and hope in this world. God surely has great things planned for him.
We'll keep you posted on his progress!
Thank you for your support.
He is getting great care from a brilliant Lyme-Literate doctor right here in Atlanta. But this care is very expensive - to the tune of about $1200 a month when you add up co-pays, doctor visits, blood tests, and multiple medications along with all the out-of-pocket expenses not covered by our plan.
We calculate we will need about $20,000 to cover our out-of-pocket expenses for his care in 2019 alone.
Please help us care for David's medical needs. We are a hard-working family of 6. I was a work-from-home mom for many years while the kiddos were young. I returned to teaching full time just this past summer. We make enough to get by and provide for our children, but David's unexpected medical expenses are more than we can handle.
Every little bit helps. Please give whatever you can - $10, $25, $50... it will all add up.
And PLEASE, share our request on your social profiles. Spread the word so we can get David back to health and back to school!
More of David's Story:
David is our 15 year old son. He was born an old soul - kind, thoughtful, generous, curious, and very loving. He is academically gifted, a fabulous artist, a JV cross country runner, a dedicated Boy Scout, and a devoted brother to his three siblings. But, over the last 6 months, we've watched him fade away before our eyes because of chronic neurological Lyme disease.
Running the Peachtree Road Race 10K with Dad, July 2018
Today, he can barely walk unassisted and must rest most of the day. (He wears noise-canceling headphones all day to counteract extreme noise sensitivity.)
In November 2018, he developed pneumonia. Our doctor treated him with the recommended course of antibiotics and steroids, but he remained sick. In early January 2019, X-rays and testing confirmed double walking pneumonia caused by a bacteria called mycoplasma - a known co-infection for Lyme. This, combined with his extreme fatigue and massive headaches, led our doctor to order a blood test for Lyme Disease.
The tests were positive according to ILADS standards (the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Association) and the search for a Lyme-Literate doctor began.
It took a bit of research, but thanks to David's Aunt Kathy, we were led to see Dr. Crystal Barnwell - right nearby in Decatur, GA. She is brilliant! So far, we are treating David for the main Lyme bacteria (Borellia), as well as co-infections with Babesia, Bartonella, and a yet-to-be-determined fungal co-infection.
David has been under her care for about 5 weeks now and we've seen many positive signs, but his disease continues to progress. On a daily basis he struggles with:
- moderate headaches (much less severe since starting treatment)
- weakness and numbness in his legs
- tremors and muscle spasms in his hands and feet
- noise sensitivity and constant ringing in his ears
- vertigo and poor balance
- intermittent facial paralysis (Bell's Palsy)
- tachycardia (rapid pulse)
- insomnia
- extreme fatigue
He cannot walk without assistance, must go down the stairs on his behind, and can no longer attend school. He has been put on our county's "hospital - homebound" program, so a teacher comes to the house twice a week to help him keep up with his assignments. (No small feat since he is maintaining a straight A average in chemistry, computer science, and Spanish 2!)
We hope he will be well enough to return to school in the fall, but a lot of that depends on us being able to keep him on Dr. Barnwell's specific medication regimen.
And that's where you, dear donor, come in!
Please give generously to help us help David. He is a source of grace, light, and hope in this world. God surely has great things planned for him.
We'll keep you posted on his progress!
Thank you for your support.
Organizer
Karen Harisiades Gorzynski
Organizer
Douglasville, GA
