Help Fund David's Unexpected Medical Bills

DAVID ROSEN

 

Husband, brother, friend, uncle, loyal, fun-loving, energetic, adventurous, witty, clever, committed, resilient, adaptable, fierce, tireless, determined, and so many more words can be used to describe David.

 

As many of you already know, on January 31, 2022, David was admitted to the hospital with numbness in his hands and feet. Within 12 hours, he was in the intensive care unit (ICU) with total paralysis and could only move his eyes. Another 12 hours later, the doctors diagnosed him with a particularly severe case of Guillain-Barré (Ghee-YAN Bah-RAY) syndrome (GBS). GBS is a rare, autoimmune disorder in which a person’s own immune system damages the nerves, causing muscle weakness and, in David's case, total paralysis.

 

He was given intravenous immunoglobulin treatment but his body did not respond as the medical professionals had hoped. Now with pneumonia, dangerously high blood pressure, and being placed on a ventilator in order to breathe, the doctors heavily sedated him. Unsure of what to do next and questioning their own diagnosis, six days later, they recommended transferring him to a hospital with a neurological ICU.

 

Once at the new hospital, the doctors determined that David has the most severe form of GBS: the axonal variant. After taking him off the heavy sedation and providing movement treatment that the first hospital wasn't equipped to do, he began to see some small but hopeful improvement. The report of a slight movement in his arm, as well as the utterance of a one-syllable word, had us all cheering at this momentous news. Subsequently, they performed a tracheotomy and a few days later were able to remove the ventilator completely.

 

We are feeling optimistic that David is now on a path to healing and recovery. The doctors have predicted that the road will be long and will take a lot of commitment and hard work. They anticipate that it could take up to a year for David to re-learn how to walk, talk, and use his fine and large motor skills. We are hopeful he will leave the ICU within the week and be transferred to a nationally recognized rehabilitation center.

 

David and his husband, Paul, are two of the most generous people, and many of us have been on the receiving end of their kindness, love, and generosity throughout the years. They are the first people to show up--in big and small ways--when any of us are in need. They're also the first people to celebrate life's wins alongside us. They don't hesitate to open their hearts, their homes, their wallets, themselves--and many of our lives are richer because of them.

 

David and Paul have a zest for life. They love to travel and experience different people, places, and cultures. They're also just as happy staying home and enjoying a game night. David and Paul are incredible individuals in their own right, but together, they are an unstoppable force of all that is good in this world.

 

Now is our chance to reciprocate their kindness, love, and generosity. No matter how small or large, any donation amount will be appreciated and go toward the substantial medical and rehabilitation costs already mounting. Let's be part of this next journey of theirs, one they did not ask for, though one we know they'll face head-on with the same tireless determination they use in supporting others.

 

Thank you,

David's sisters