Get Jack back to his Jam!

Hey everybody. This is Melissa, Kristen’s friend. I met Kristen, Jack’s wife, through our somatic coaching program. I knew immediately we’d be life-long friends. Her love for Jack beams from her—as does her love of humanity. I’m pretty sure she’d give her last dime, her last morsel of food and the last shirt of her back to help another. She is also crazy creative and I really think she is the Beacon of Hope superhero that she once created. That’s why I’m fundraising for Jack and Kristen. Because she’s a beacon of hope. So let her tell you about Jack, and why they could use your help, your hope right now.

Jack and Kristen’s Situation

Before Jack got covid at the end of 2021, his epilepsy was regulated and, for many years, he was independent. Driving, cooking, able to work regularly. Since that second bout of covid, his epilepsy has gone refractory (unable to be fully regulated with medication) and he is now unable to drive or cook and his ability to work with any consistency has been greatly compromised.

In July of 2022, Jack went into status epilepticus-where the seizures were unable to be stopped-and he was induced into a coma to give his brain and body a chance to recoup as the doctors decided the next best course of action.

Since being brought out of the coma 25 hours later, he has been working with an amazing medical team to bring him back into regulation again. While there is progress being made, Jack and his team have more work to do as the seizures continue.

Along with his refractory epilepsy, Jack has been managing side effects of his medications and long covid symptoms of brain fog, extreme fatigue and lethargy.

So even though his desire to work is strong, his body and brain’s ability to do so are limited to a few hours per day, and some days his misfiring brain does not allow him to work at all, forcing him to rest for much of the day.

His wife, Kristen has stopped all work outside of the house in order to care for Jack and keep him safe. She has been adjusting to her role as full time caregiver, and has been shifting her business to work remotely. Caring for Jack (including managing his medications, doctor visits and domestic care), managing the household and acquisition of social services takes up most of her time and through all of this she has been working on managing her own caretaker fatigue and trauma.

Up until now, they have been getting by with what work they can do, along with the support of friends, family, and a few social services they have been able to obtain. As is often the case, Jack was initially denied disability, and they are now working with a disability lawyer to help appeal this decision to get more permanent support in place, as Jack and his doctors continue to work towards stability and a return to balance.

In the meantime, bills are piling up and although Kristen and Jack were reluctant to consider this next level of financial support, they realize that it would be extremely beneficial to Jack’s healing to have some of their money struggles lessened as they await disability-which if awarded-can take several months to come through.