AGES GIVES BACK

Trip to the Tick-Borne Illness Clinic

Journal Entry by A S — 1 hour ago

We are thankful to say that our weekend trip up North went well (despite all the snow that fell while we were there!) and that we had a good appointment with the Lyme Specialist. Ilyssa now has a team overseeing her care, and for this we are grateful. She will have more blood work done at a hospital here in our city and this will help determine whether she has been affected by any other bacteria that ticks can carry as well. The results of this testing will help determine if Ilyssa needs any additional treatment. We were able to talk with the Specialist for quite awhile and she answered all of our questions and explained everything in great detail. She also explained that Ilyssa’s treatment can begin with antibiotics, begin with supplements, or begin with both. We talked about all the options and by the end of the appointment, it was agreed that Ilyssa will begin with supplements only. At a future date, if it becomes clear that antibiotics are needed, we will go that route as well. If anyone is curious about why we’ve made this decision, just let us know and we’ll explain more.

She has been given two supplements at this point, though she is supposed to begin with only one and slowly work to a higher and higher dose of that one. Then, when she has worked her way up to the full dose of the one supplement, she will slowly add in the second supplement the same way. She was also given Glutathione, which is “a very potent antioxidant” that she can take to help with any of the “die-off” or “herxeimer response” to any familiar with that term. They also suggest Epsom salt baths whenever needed and drinking baking soda in water for just a few days if needed, to help with any worsening of her symptoms as she begins treatment. Now that we are safely home, she is going to begin taking the first supplement today, so we are working on getting a good plan together to help keep track of everything. Besides her lab work needed soon at a nearby hospital, she doesn’t have another appointment until May 10, when we go in for her genetic testing. We thank you in advance for any prayers that she will be feeling well enough to manage that appointment well. It’s down at Children’s so we’ll need to travel over an hour again. In early June she will have another appointment with the Lyme Specialist, but this one will be virtual and we do not need to travel. Since it’s almost four hours away, we are glad!

More to be thankful for!

Journal Entry by A S — 1 hour ago

Most of you probably know that we have many in our family who love horses, and that several of our girls have been able to work with horses a lot over the past dozen years or so. For five of those years we were blessed to be teamed up with a wonderful non-profit called Amazing Grace Equine Sanctuary (or AGES). In the past year or more we haven’t been able to help there much because of college, work schedules, illnesses, household projects, etc, etc. Ilyssa began getting fatigued during her time there and we agreed she should stop going until she felt better. Thankfully, we noticed that a good number of new volunteers teamed up with the wonderful crew still there, and the work continues strong.

We mention all of this because the precious owner of AGES, Erin, recently decided to start a Go Fund Me for Ilyssa and our family. We have been completely blown away by all of this love and generosity coming from the AGES community and really want to say a gigantic thank you!! We did not expect this at all, but are extremely grateful. We will say that volunteering there brought out the best in our family (as serving does, right!?), so the way-too-high praise must be based on this. We have a ways to go in order to fit the description given! May God help us every step of the way!

As the Go Fund Me gets connected to this site, know that we are very humbled by all of this, and that God is indeed providing for the immediate needs, and those we see coming soon. Please do not feel the need to give anything now, or ever! We would much rather be on the giving end than the receiving end once again. We still do not know what kind of long-term expenses might come about in our situation. While a new/more reliable vehicle is not on our priority list right now, we are very touched by the thought and are open to allowing those who know us and care about us to bless us as they see fit. We know all too well how God can work though others to meet needs we may not even know we have.

From the bottom of our hearts, Erin and AGES, and all who have blessed us with a financial gift, we thank you so very much. We pray that you will see us all back there one day in the not-too-distant future helping in some way! You all work so hard and take such great care of the equines and the property and we miss being an active part of your team/family!! May you all be blessed as you continue this important work!

Hi,

I'm Erin and I am setting up this fundraiser for an amazing family in need!

The Stokdyk family of Sheboygan is experiencing a serious medical situation for one of their 8 children, Ilyssa Stokdyk.

llyssa has been experiencing many odd and unusual debilitating symptoms for a few years now and just now the family's prayers were answered and they have diagnosed her precious daughter at age 15 with a brain tumor (noncancerous) and late stage undiagnosed Lyme's Disease.

This big beautiful family of ten have been dealt an enormous challenge both emotionally, physically and financially.

As Executive Director of Amazing Grace Equine Sanctuary in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin - this has hit way too close to home to not HAVE to help anyway possible!

The Stokdyk family is about THE most generous, helpful, supportive, giving and caring family I have ever known!! The entire family started volunteering for our horse rescue facility some 5-6 years ago ? Not only did the parents and children spend time helping clean our paddocks, pastures and stalls on a weekly basis, but they would always generously donate to the horses with financial funds for every fundraiser we needed here at the rescue ! I loved when the girls would be setting up the barn for our tack sale and you would hear giggling aplenty coming from the upper barn! It made my heart burst!

Ilyssa alone has clocked in a total of volunteer hours here of 1340! They are Godly people that follow their innate grace, with a fervent expression of love!

This big beautiful family exemplifies the meaning of kindness, respect, hard work and above all GIVING!

After giving so very much to Amazing Grace Equine Sanctuary over these years...and allowing us all to fall in love with their family - we are eagerly wanting to give back to them as they are beyond deserving!!

We want to be a conduit and lifeline for their life challenging health issues for Ilyssa!!

This family lives simply - but loves greatly!

The funds are immediate and will be ongoing while the doctors, hospitals and specialists do all they can to help give Ilyssa back her life and childhood! Our goal amount includes some financial help to not only pay medical bills like copayments, out of pocket expenses, individual and family annual deductibles, but to ALSO help this family obtain a newer source of transit for the family if that is something in Gods plan for the family. Some of her medical issues will be tended to by non covered tick born disease specialists, etc.

They all have a very long and winding road ahead of them and getting Ilyssa heathy and safe again will take many generous hearts of hope, prayer and funds for medical expenses they will incur.

This is a most special call for assistance to a wonderful family in need!!!

We thank you in advance, for your love, understanding and kindness!

Erin Kelley Groth

and all the equines and volunteers at A.G.E.S.