Jimmy Olson's battle with CJD-S
Donation protected
This site has been set up on behalf of Jimmy and Debra Olson to defray financial expenses associated with Jimmy’s diagnosis of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) and his related passing.
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is an extremely rare, degenerative, invariably fatal brain disorder. It affects about one person in every one million people per year worldwide; in the United States there are about 300 cases per year. CJD usually appears in later life and runs a rapid course. Typically, onset of symptoms occurs about age 60, and about 90 percent of individuals die within 1 year.
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/cjd/detail_cjd.htm
Leading into the fall season of 2015, Jimmy was, by all accounts, a healthy individual who worked as a HVAC technician specializing in commercial air-conditioning repair, service, and installation.
On October 11, 2015, Jimmy experienced a non-work related fall from a ladder in the garage at his residence. He received medical treatment and it was determined he tore the rotator cuff in his right shoulder. On October 30, 2015, surgery was performed to repair the shoulder and he was released home with physical therapy to follow.
While recovering from surgery a few days later home, Jimmy experienced a seizure. The 911 system was activated and Jimmy was taken to N.W. Medical Center via ambulance. He was subsequently released when doctors could not find anything wrong or associated with the seizure.
During enrollment in physical therapy to rehabilitate his shoulder, Jimmy started to exhibit memory loss, problems with muscular coordination, and impaired vision and thinking. These symptoms continued to decline at a very rapid rate. Over the Thanksgiving week timeframe 2015, he was re-admitted to a hospital in The Woodlands, Texas and a battery of tests were performed. After a week, with no conclusive results or diagnosis, he was released home only to be again re-admitted to a hospital at the Texas Medical Center in Houston for additional testing and a second opinion. After several weeks of hospitalization, he was unfortunately diagnosed with sporadic CJD on December 18, 2015 and was transferred directly to hospice. Jimmy passed away in the morning hours of December 28, 2015.
Debra, who had been employed in the Oil & Gas sector, lost her job in early 2015. While they do have medical insurance, they have significant out of pocket expenses. These obligations, coupled with funeral expenses, provide for extraordinary financial obstacles.
As their neighbor for over 15 years, we can attest that Debra and Jimmy are and were some of the finest, honest, and hardworking people you will ever know. They would have celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary in February.
Unselfishly, the family has decided to donate Jimmy’s tissue and organs so research can be performed in hopes of finding a cure for this horrific disease.
Please consider opening your hearts and wallets to assist them in their time of financial need.
Lastly, the family has committed to donate any proceeds received that exceed medical and funeral expenses to the Soto Lab – University of Texas Medical School at Houston. Important work is being done by these talented researchers and professionals to find both a cause and cure for this rare, wretched disease.
https://med.uth.edu/neurology/specialty-programs/mitchell-center/soto-lab/
Thank you in advance for your support, love, and generosity.
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is an extremely rare, degenerative, invariably fatal brain disorder. It affects about one person in every one million people per year worldwide; in the United States there are about 300 cases per year. CJD usually appears in later life and runs a rapid course. Typically, onset of symptoms occurs about age 60, and about 90 percent of individuals die within 1 year.
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/cjd/detail_cjd.htm
Leading into the fall season of 2015, Jimmy was, by all accounts, a healthy individual who worked as a HVAC technician specializing in commercial air-conditioning repair, service, and installation.
On October 11, 2015, Jimmy experienced a non-work related fall from a ladder in the garage at his residence. He received medical treatment and it was determined he tore the rotator cuff in his right shoulder. On October 30, 2015, surgery was performed to repair the shoulder and he was released home with physical therapy to follow.
While recovering from surgery a few days later home, Jimmy experienced a seizure. The 911 system was activated and Jimmy was taken to N.W. Medical Center via ambulance. He was subsequently released when doctors could not find anything wrong or associated with the seizure.
During enrollment in physical therapy to rehabilitate his shoulder, Jimmy started to exhibit memory loss, problems with muscular coordination, and impaired vision and thinking. These symptoms continued to decline at a very rapid rate. Over the Thanksgiving week timeframe 2015, he was re-admitted to a hospital in The Woodlands, Texas and a battery of tests were performed. After a week, with no conclusive results or diagnosis, he was released home only to be again re-admitted to a hospital at the Texas Medical Center in Houston for additional testing and a second opinion. After several weeks of hospitalization, he was unfortunately diagnosed with sporadic CJD on December 18, 2015 and was transferred directly to hospice. Jimmy passed away in the morning hours of December 28, 2015.
Debra, who had been employed in the Oil & Gas sector, lost her job in early 2015. While they do have medical insurance, they have significant out of pocket expenses. These obligations, coupled with funeral expenses, provide for extraordinary financial obstacles.
As their neighbor for over 15 years, we can attest that Debra and Jimmy are and were some of the finest, honest, and hardworking people you will ever know. They would have celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary in February.
Unselfishly, the family has decided to donate Jimmy’s tissue and organs so research can be performed in hopes of finding a cure for this horrific disease.
Please consider opening your hearts and wallets to assist them in their time of financial need.
Lastly, the family has committed to donate any proceeds received that exceed medical and funeral expenses to the Soto Lab – University of Texas Medical School at Houston. Important work is being done by these talented researchers and professionals to find both a cause and cure for this rare, wretched disease.
https://med.uth.edu/neurology/specialty-programs/mitchell-center/soto-lab/
Thank you in advance for your support, love, and generosity.
Organizer and beneficiary
Eva Coutermarsh
Organizer
Spring, TX
Debra Olson
Beneficiary