One Day at a Time

Update: 28June2024... It's been several weeks, a spinal tap & yet no underlying cause except malnutrition from ulcers have been found. Although David has somewhat started breathing on his own, a trach is still required because his oxygen levels are too low to remove. He occasionally opens his eyes & tries to follow sounds & mom gets a light squeeze when holding his hand. This is going to be a very very long journey for David. Just recently plasma donations have become part of therapy. The most obvious is David is trying to keep up his fight to live & having his mother, Stacey by his side is crucial. Our family & closest friends have depleted their bank accounts & maxed out credit to keep Stacey close by in the cheapest hotel. This is because St Vincent's policy is no over night stays in ICU & they've asked Stacey to NOT sleep in their waiting room. Rooms are $65 per night plus taxes & fees & no special circumstance rates can be found. Once again I asked for your assistance by donating anything you can spare. Though you think $5 isn't squat, it really can make a difference.

In February 2024 David Lipscomb had started sleeping more & vomiting after eating. He was taken to a local hospital in Clarion, PA & sent home 18 times in 4 months. His PCP ordered Z-rays & a ultrasound. He experienced heart palpitations, debilitating headaches, extreme rapid weight loss, dehydration, blood in his stool & continuous vomiting. Eventually he wasn't able to eat at all. Even water wouldn't stay down. His mother, Stacey remained persistent to no avail. Finally on May 29th the hospital admitted him for ulcers from his stomach to his throat. A 3 day antibiotic treatment was administered & again he was sent home. Within hours his mother, Stacey rushed him to the ER again as David was in a catatonic state. Clarion flew him to Warren Hospital where he remained in their psychiatric ward. A week passed with David unresponsive until he died. Documented flatline of 8 minutes from heart failure. He was revived & air lifted to St. Vincents hospital in Erie where he remains today still catatonic. David can not breathe on his own, is fed with a tube (finally) & has briefly opened his eyes twice. The doctors in Erie state there is frontal lobe damage due to the months of malnutrition & a lack of Thiamine/B1 vitamin. They tried "rebooting" his brain with ketamine which didn't work. Stacey remains by him during ICU's visiting hours then sleeps in the hospital lobby in a chair. Erie is 3 hours away & a round trip Uber is $1,600. However, she is adamant to be with David. She massages his muscles, exercises his legs & arms, reads to him, plays music & Mr. Ballen stories (his fav). Anything to keep him stimulated. We're waiting for the results of a recent spinal tap to find a root cause to his coma like state. She is doing the best she knows how any mother can. This fundraiser is to help Stacey keep up her own health for David's benefit. Stacey is walker dependant because of Multiple Sclerosis & she is epileptic. David has resided with his mom for these reasons & now the tables have turned. Stacey can not live in a hospital lobby indefinitely & obviously going home & back is not an option. Please help this desperate mother be with her son. The funds we raise will provide a hotel room & meals until David makes some kind of progress. IF the cause & a treatment is found he will remain in care as he will need to learn how to walk, talk & eat again. For now she just wants him to live.