Dear Friends

While it may have been sometime since we have been together – I am sure we all have fond memories of our time with Carla Weston – our cheerful outgoing Costa Rican friend and colleague! Carla brought a sense of fun to all work environments that we shared! She is a sponge for knowledge and she loves to share her passions with clients and guests world wide. When we were first together – the love of her homeland Costa Rica helped her share details that we outsiders could only guess at! However, regardless of what country she was in or what company she was employed by - she was a perfectionist trying to deliver the best possible program to any client. Carla is a completely dedicated soul to the task at hand! Even while being home during covid – she was baking up a storm to sell where she could to make enough money to get her thru the lean times.

But because of a terrible twist of fate Carla is very very ill. She is struggling with massive health issues that have finally been diagnosed as Central Nervous System Vasculitis, an autoimmune disease. She cannot work – and hence has no income. Thank goodness, she is surrounded by caring family and friends who help her as much as is possible.

The problem began in June of 2022 while she was working abroad with Tauck. It came quickly and shocked her when all of sudden she could not see so well and could not do her job. She called for help and while everything was done to try to help her in 3 different countries, multiple misdiagnoses or medical apathy did not catch the root cause of her problems in time. By the time she reached home, she was nearly immobile. Now 2.5 years later - she has had better days and then massive setbacks. She has been in and out of the hospital staying for weeks at a time. She has been in and out of intensive care units. When then discharged, she was only able to return home if she arranged for 24-hour care! Massive and frightening setback events come, and fortunately, some parts of them go again. But all requiring more testing, more doctors, more hospital time and aftercare in terms of physical therapy and diligent home health aides. Family but more often expensive professionals are required. During good times, she can go for a swim with assistance and walk with a cane or a walker. Other times, she is completely bedridden and has been on oxygen support. Costa Rican public health care is overwhelmed with needs and underfunded. Waiting to receive healthcare can have tragic implications. Insurance for private care facilities is to expensive for self-employed contractors. So to pay for more than $100,000 in bills she has had to dig deep into her retirement funds to help pay expenses. These expenses include but are not limited to medications, home health aides, hospital stays, and any physical or medicinal therapy required. She also has her basic cost of living overhead so she has a home to stay in.

This diagnosis is deeply troubling. The medical teams are trying to negotiate a recovery. I have just spoken to her – and it is clear she remains a fighter! But she needs our help!

Loving messages, reminders of good times around the world or simply get well cards are welcome. But more importantly she needs us to chip in as much as we can to help her continue the professional support she needs.

Please contribute here to help Carla financially. The funds will go into a USA Family member account, and they will facilitate it getting to Carla in Costa Rica. Her family is deeply involved with her health care and her financial situation. I have spoken to them often to get this GoFundMe Page up and running. Please share this GoFundMe initiative far and wide in our circle of friends and colleagues and encourage others to contribute.

If you want to reach out to Carla by WhatsApp – please pm me and I will reach out to her to see if she is able to receive calls.

If you want to drop her a postcard, a letter or a teddy bear – here is her address.

Carla Weston

PO Box 1724-1250 Escazu

San José, Costa Rica

Obviously – if you are flying thru San Jose – she may be up for visitors and we will be happy to help facilitate that if possible.

These were a few resources I found on line to help me understand her challenges. I am sure there are others. :

https://www.vasculitisfoundation.org/education/vasculitis-types/central-nervous-system-vasculitis/

Thank you for being a friend to someone who has always been a friend to all of us.