To Know Her is to Love Her

The goal of this GoFundMe campaign is to raise funds to assist my parents cover medical expenses due to my mom's ongoing bout with Myasthenia Gravis.

A few years ago my mom (Janet) was diagnosed with a relatively rare neurological, autoimmune disease called Myasthenia Gravis, or MG. Anyone who knows my mom knows that she is incredibly strong both in mind and body. She's a lover of books -- especially children's literature -- and is a servant-hearted friend to everyone she comes in contact with, whether that was to me and my siblings, the many mothers that she helped as a doula, or 16 years as a children's librarian.

Up until mid-November 2022, she managed the disease pretty well. She took good care of her health and only those closest to her knew how it was taking a toll. We didn't know how much of a toll until she had what is called a "crisis" on November 12, 2022. She was struggling to breathe and swallow on her own. This can happen in some MG patients, where nerves are no longer sending/receiving messages properly from the brain and systems shut down. From there she digressed rapidly and has spent a rollercoaster of the last 7 weeks in the ICU, with treatments ranging from intubation (2x), lung collapse, and discovering a very large mass in her chest affecting her thymus and other core functions. Thankfully, through the Lord's mercy and the skilled hands of some great surgeons, the mass was removed.

Only in the last few weeks has it become obvious to us, her family, that her road to recovery is going to be long. She has lost a great deal of her muscle mass. She still cannot swallow or breathe on her own. She received a tracheotomy and is no longer able to speak with her voice. If you know her, you know that she loves to use her voice -- whether that is to read to her grandkids or to children at the library. It is her passion to use her voice to bless others. It is looking like she will remain on the trach for a while longer and will be moving to a rehabilitation hospital.

As you might imagine, the costs for all this care are adding up. Thankfully, she does have excellent insurance, but there are many co-pays, deductibles, and gas tanks to fill (Dad has been faithfully driving back and forth daily), both from the last few weeks and with the new year and new deductibles. This is genuinely a time of need and with many friends and family reaching out asking how they can help, I have decided to set up this GoFundMe on their behalf (and with my parent's permission).

We sincerely hope you would consider donating to help my mom (and dad) through this season. It would mean a great deal to me and my sisters. We know many people have asked how they can help, and simply put, even the amount to fill a gas tank would be a blessing. Thank you for reading this far, and even more so for anything you give. Most of all, we covet your prayers. My mom is strong, and we know we serve a stronger God who has been with her through all of this.

Sincerely,

Joel