Well, this feels a little awkward. I'm usually the one making these for other people. But, here we are, asking to get by with a little help from our friends.
My body decided it didn't like me all that much in the beginning-middle of November. I wound up admitted to the hospital not once, not twice, but three times for metabolic acidosis and hypokalemia. During this time, my heart rate was very, very high - setting off all sorts of alarms any time I was up and moving around. We figured it was from the dehydration and malnutrition taking place, but it hasn't resolved. As time has gone on, I've been diagnosed with POTS - Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome - a type of dysautonomia. My autonomic nervous system, it seems, doesn't feel like regulating my heart rate very nicely these days. When I'm standing - not even moving, just standing! - my heart rate is at least 150 bpm. Movement? Goes in to the 170s to 180s. Seated, my heart rate goes down to the 120s-130s. When I lie down, it'll hover around 100 bpm. I get excited when it dips in to the 90s and I'm overjoyed when it's in the 80s. I am under the care of a cardiologist - who has also referred me to a neurologist - to try to control and tame this beast. Right now, it's rare that I can be up and moving more than five minutes before getting unbearably dizzy and close to fainting. This has left me hardly able to take care of myself, let alone our five kids.
Enter the issue we are facing: John has used all of his PTO. Many of his co-workers have very generously donated some PTO and all of that has been used, too. We have filled out FMLA paperwork so John can continue to be home and tend to the children (and babysit me, too). This is fantastic because once I've figured out how to handle this POTS thing, he will have a job to go back to. The downside to using FMLA? That would be that it is unpaid. And there are five baby birds who love to eat and the seven of us enjoy having a roof over our heads and bills paid.
And, so, we come to you. Awkwardly, completely humbled by the scenario, asking for your help. We are hoping to raise the amount of one month of John's salary to get by. Hopefully I'll be back on my feet in less than a month's time and he'll be back to work before then, too. If we don't end up needing the full month's worth of pay? It would go to the next step: funding our move back home to be closer to family back in Maine. This will allow us to, one, be closer to our awesome families! (They freakin' rock!!!! We are super blessed!!!!) But it will also give us the Family Village we need with our hands so full. Then, if and when things like this happen, we can lean in on them some so John can continue to work and our families - who are very eager to help! - can step in and do the beautiful thing that families have done for the ages: help each other.
Sorry this is so long. Just trying to explain the situation. Please, if you can, consider donating financially. If you are unable to (boy, do we ever get that!) we would so appreciate your spiritual help. Pray, pray, pray! Please pray for healing, for acceptance, for strength (for all of us), and for peace. Finally, if you feel so moved, please share this.
Thank you so much for your time in reading this and for your contribution - either spiritual, temporal, or both!
My body decided it didn't like me all that much in the beginning-middle of November. I wound up admitted to the hospital not once, not twice, but three times for metabolic acidosis and hypokalemia. During this time, my heart rate was very, very high - setting off all sorts of alarms any time I was up and moving around. We figured it was from the dehydration and malnutrition taking place, but it hasn't resolved. As time has gone on, I've been diagnosed with POTS - Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome - a type of dysautonomia. My autonomic nervous system, it seems, doesn't feel like regulating my heart rate very nicely these days. When I'm standing - not even moving, just standing! - my heart rate is at least 150 bpm. Movement? Goes in to the 170s to 180s. Seated, my heart rate goes down to the 120s-130s. When I lie down, it'll hover around 100 bpm. I get excited when it dips in to the 90s and I'm overjoyed when it's in the 80s. I am under the care of a cardiologist - who has also referred me to a neurologist - to try to control and tame this beast. Right now, it's rare that I can be up and moving more than five minutes before getting unbearably dizzy and close to fainting. This has left me hardly able to take care of myself, let alone our five kids.
Enter the issue we are facing: John has used all of his PTO. Many of his co-workers have very generously donated some PTO and all of that has been used, too. We have filled out FMLA paperwork so John can continue to be home and tend to the children (and babysit me, too). This is fantastic because once I've figured out how to handle this POTS thing, he will have a job to go back to. The downside to using FMLA? That would be that it is unpaid. And there are five baby birds who love to eat and the seven of us enjoy having a roof over our heads and bills paid.
And, so, we come to you. Awkwardly, completely humbled by the scenario, asking for your help. We are hoping to raise the amount of one month of John's salary to get by. Hopefully I'll be back on my feet in less than a month's time and he'll be back to work before then, too. If we don't end up needing the full month's worth of pay? It would go to the next step: funding our move back home to be closer to family back in Maine. This will allow us to, one, be closer to our awesome families! (They freakin' rock!!!! We are super blessed!!!!) But it will also give us the Family Village we need with our hands so full. Then, if and when things like this happen, we can lean in on them some so John can continue to work and our families - who are very eager to help! - can step in and do the beautiful thing that families have done for the ages: help each other.
Sorry this is so long. Just trying to explain the situation. Please, if you can, consider donating financially. If you are unable to (boy, do we ever get that!) we would so appreciate your spiritual help. Pray, pray, pray! Please pray for healing, for acceptance, for strength (for all of us), and for peace. Finally, if you feel so moved, please share this.
Thank you so much for your time in reading this and for your contribution - either spiritual, temporal, or both!