Amber Reine's CRPS Medical Fund
Donation protected
Dear friends and family:
If you know my wife at all, chances are she has touched your life. Amber Réine Jenkins is the most generous person I know. One of my favorite stories of her is when she gave her only vehicle to a young single mother who had no means of transportation. I asked her what she would do to get around without her car. She just said she’d ride her bike or bum rides from her friends for a while. She knew the young mother needed the car more than she did so she gave it away.
It is this generosity that has characterizes the life of my wife for all of our years together. She pours out her spirit over people in her prayer ministry. She tirelessly opened up our home to welcome people who needed a place of safety and care. She continues to parent our children with tireless ferocity and overwhelming love. There are so many people who she has walked with through dark times.
But now it is Amber who needs your help and generosity.
In April, 2015, Amber crushed her left heel. From that injury, Amber developed a rare condition called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). This condition affects her nervous system and causes Amber to feel constant, intense, burning muscle and bone pain in her left foot and left leg. As CRPS is known to do, the pain has begun to spread to the right side of her body. Here is a link that explains all about CRPS and how it affects the people who deal with this disease. http://www.rsdhope.org.
Amber now lives in endless excruciating agony. To make it through each day, she must take a cocktail of extremely strong pain meds. But even the best of these medications only offers Amber marginal pain relief. She hurts all the time, day and night, awake or asleep, every moment of every day, even in her dreams. She is confined to a wheelchair, and is now unable to do so many of the things she is known for.
Can you imagine the worst physical pain you have ever experienced? Picture what it felt like for you. Amber’s pain scale, without meds, is at a 10+. With meds, it only goes down to a 7, for an hour or two on a good day (scale 10 the worst possible pain). Can you imagine living in that pain daily?
For a brilliant, courageous, independent woman, this is an incredibly humbling disability for her to come to terms with. Amber now struggles to take care of our 3 kids. She constantly has to miss out on huge parts of our kids’ lives as there are many physical activities she simply cannot participate in. Bottom line is, we want her to get better.
Look at the following link for really innovative way to understand what it is like for someone to live with daily chronic pain. http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/articles/written-by-christine/the-spoon-theory/
I want to be able to give my wife more spoons.
CRPS has no cure. Amber’s doctors have told her that the best they can offer is pain management.
There is some good news though! Doctors in Italy have discovered a new treatment protocol that could greatly reduce her pain and possibly even heal her condition. Double blind studies have shown amazing success and it is currently being researched here in the U.S. However the FDA approval process will likely take between 6 to 8 years before patients can receive this treatment in the U.S. Obviously, this is too long to leave Amber to suffer with this condition.
We have been in contact with two Italian doctors who have given us the green light to travel to Italy to get treatment for Amber. With a little generous help from our family and friends, we can do this now.
The financial goal we have set is based on our best estimates of:
- Medical procedures to be completed before travel, requested by Italian medical team
-The cost of surplus medical equipment required for travel, not covered by insurance.
-The cost of the Italian procedure.
-Airfare, food and lodging for 4 to 6 weeks in Italy.
-The cost of caregivers for Amber while she is there.
-Childcare here while Amber is away.
-Lost wages while gone.
-Travel expenses to and from the hospital.
This is our estimate thus far, as we assume there will be many unforeseen costs along the road. The needs are great, but our hope is greater. Will you join us on this road of walking out a miracle in financial provision, emotional support, physical healing and infinite trust? There is so much to do and we cannot do this alone.
Would you be willing to help Amber obtain a cure? Your generosity could be the catalyst that allows her to get her life back.
If you cannot give financially, please join us in hope and prayers for a cure for Amber and all those who suffer from CRPS, this horrible disease.
Don Jenkins
If you know my wife at all, chances are she has touched your life. Amber Réine Jenkins is the most generous person I know. One of my favorite stories of her is when she gave her only vehicle to a young single mother who had no means of transportation. I asked her what she would do to get around without her car. She just said she’d ride her bike or bum rides from her friends for a while. She knew the young mother needed the car more than she did so she gave it away.
It is this generosity that has characterizes the life of my wife for all of our years together. She pours out her spirit over people in her prayer ministry. She tirelessly opened up our home to welcome people who needed a place of safety and care. She continues to parent our children with tireless ferocity and overwhelming love. There are so many people who she has walked with through dark times.
But now it is Amber who needs your help and generosity.
In April, 2015, Amber crushed her left heel. From that injury, Amber developed a rare condition called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). This condition affects her nervous system and causes Amber to feel constant, intense, burning muscle and bone pain in her left foot and left leg. As CRPS is known to do, the pain has begun to spread to the right side of her body. Here is a link that explains all about CRPS and how it affects the people who deal with this disease. http://www.rsdhope.org.
Amber now lives in endless excruciating agony. To make it through each day, she must take a cocktail of extremely strong pain meds. But even the best of these medications only offers Amber marginal pain relief. She hurts all the time, day and night, awake or asleep, every moment of every day, even in her dreams. She is confined to a wheelchair, and is now unable to do so many of the things she is known for.
Can you imagine the worst physical pain you have ever experienced? Picture what it felt like for you. Amber’s pain scale, without meds, is at a 10+. With meds, it only goes down to a 7, for an hour or two on a good day (scale 10 the worst possible pain). Can you imagine living in that pain daily?
For a brilliant, courageous, independent woman, this is an incredibly humbling disability for her to come to terms with. Amber now struggles to take care of our 3 kids. She constantly has to miss out on huge parts of our kids’ lives as there are many physical activities she simply cannot participate in. Bottom line is, we want her to get better.
Look at the following link for really innovative way to understand what it is like for someone to live with daily chronic pain. http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/articles/written-by-christine/the-spoon-theory/
I want to be able to give my wife more spoons.
CRPS has no cure. Amber’s doctors have told her that the best they can offer is pain management.
There is some good news though! Doctors in Italy have discovered a new treatment protocol that could greatly reduce her pain and possibly even heal her condition. Double blind studies have shown amazing success and it is currently being researched here in the U.S. However the FDA approval process will likely take between 6 to 8 years before patients can receive this treatment in the U.S. Obviously, this is too long to leave Amber to suffer with this condition.
We have been in contact with two Italian doctors who have given us the green light to travel to Italy to get treatment for Amber. With a little generous help from our family and friends, we can do this now.
The financial goal we have set is based on our best estimates of:
- Medical procedures to be completed before travel, requested by Italian medical team
-The cost of surplus medical equipment required for travel, not covered by insurance.
-The cost of the Italian procedure.
-Airfare, food and lodging for 4 to 6 weeks in Italy.
-The cost of caregivers for Amber while she is there.
-Childcare here while Amber is away.
-Lost wages while gone.
-Travel expenses to and from the hospital.
This is our estimate thus far, as we assume there will be many unforeseen costs along the road. The needs are great, but our hope is greater. Will you join us on this road of walking out a miracle in financial provision, emotional support, physical healing and infinite trust? There is so much to do and we cannot do this alone.
Would you be willing to help Amber obtain a cure? Your generosity could be the catalyst that allows her to get her life back.
If you cannot give financially, please join us in hope and prayers for a cure for Amber and all those who suffer from CRPS, this horrible disease.
Don Jenkins
Organizer
Don T Jenkins
Organizer
Santa Ana, CA