Help Nicole Walk Again
Donation protected
Nicole is our sister and our best friend. Her story is long and difficult to tell, but we want to share a piece of it with anyone that can help.
In 2007, just a few short months after the birth of her daughter Sophia, she was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease called Systemic Lupus Erythematous (SLE). Initially her lupus was pretty well controlled. In March of 2011 Nicole broke her tibia and fibula (right leg) in a skiing accident and had major surgery the next day. Since her accident, she has had 10 major surgeries to fix this leg and has not walked or driven in almost 6 years. The pain is absolutely excruciating, which has been the worst part of this injury. Because of the accident, the pain, all the surgeries, and stress on her body, her lupus has flared up and has begun to systemically affect her body.
SLE (lupus) is a chronic inflammatory disease that occurs when your body’s immune system attacks your own tissues and organs. Inflammation caused by lupus can affect many different body systems. For Nicole, it has been:
•Her brain – causing neurologic episodes
•Her heart – causing a heart condition known as SVT
•Her kidneys – causing drug resistant kidney and bladder infections that require hospitalization
•Her intestines – causing inflammatory bowel disease.
•Her bones – causing bone density loss
•Her lupus is also affecting her liver functions, skin, spleen, pancreas, lungs, joints, and she is starting to lose her hair.
It would take us 50 pages to explain in detail what Nicole has been up against the last 6 years. Just know that as a family, we have all spent way too much time in the hospital.
Most recently, in August 2016, she had her 10th surgery on her right leg in an attempt to save the leg and allow her to walk again. Her doctors also diagnosed her with early onset osteoporosis which also makes it harder for her bones to heal. If her bone does not heal from this surgery, then she will have to get her leg amputated. In order to even have a chance at healing, Nicole's doctors have put her on a daily injection called Forteo. This is a medication that will help her bones to become stronger, reduce her fracture risk, and hopefully help to heal her leg! This medication is $2500 a month and after insurance they still owe $890 a month! The doctor’s are prescribing this medicine for 1 year in order to ensure healing of the bone and prevent another non-healing fracture.
Nicole has also been forced to travel to California for her medical care because Oregon has proven to be unable to provide the level of specialized care that she needs. It would be unsafe for her to continue to get treated there. Until Nicole is able to relocate to California with her daughter she has to fly to California and back to Oregon every month for Dr's appointments, tests and treatments. Additionally when Nicole travels she requires someone to travel with her, doubling the travel cost. As one could imagine, the monthly trips down to CA are incredibly expensive.
Nicole's husband Kenneth also lost his job right during the middle of all this put an even bigger financial strain on their family. Also, Nicole and her family are drowning in medical expenses. They currently have more than $10,000 in medical bills at OHSU in Oregon. This is not even including all the hospital stays, tests and care she is receiving in Los Angeles. Those will likely be much higher than $10,000.
Nicole gives everything she has to be a good wife, mother, sister, daughter, aunt, and friend— she also battles like a warrior to heal her body. We know everybody says that the person they are helping is a saint, but Nicole is different than that. Some people that meet Nicole might see her as meek or insecure (if she wrote this letter, there would be at least 10 apologies for asking for your help), but we know her to be different. She is a warrior. She fights for goodness, for what is right, she represents light and love and all the things Christ calls us to be, and Nicole is overflowing with God’s grace. She is the type of person who builds others up, We are constantly begging her to stop (or appreciating) her devotion to help those in need (other than herself). Broken bones or not, that is just who Nicole is. She will always try to help everyone who crosses her path, so we hope this is our opportunity to do the same for her. We know, with full confidence, that God will provide for Nicole. But we ask, with total humility, that you might be a vessel to help meet these many needs.
We want and need this leg to heal for Nicole. She is in more pain than any of us could imagine. She wants to walk so bad. She wants to walk down the street holding her daughters hand, take her to the park, and be able to pick her up and hold her when she is sad. With crutches, a wheelchair or a walker you can't walk side by side and hold hands. This is something that she wants more than anything. In order to have any chance at this dream, doctors are telling her that she needs this medication ASAP.
Nicole is stronger than anyone could imagine. She continues to endure this tragic journey with incredible strength, grace, and persistence. This constant fight, financial strain and fear of not being able to get the medication she needs is taking its toll and she is in need of hope. This hope will be felt through your prayers, positive wishes, and donations. We are so grateful for anything you can do to help. Thank you to the many hands and the generous hearts of those that have helped already. And thank you in advance to those that are willing to help now.
Blessings,
Jaclyn Baucum
Rebekah Jackson
Brittany Fella
In 2007, just a few short months after the birth of her daughter Sophia, she was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease called Systemic Lupus Erythematous (SLE). Initially her lupus was pretty well controlled. In March of 2011 Nicole broke her tibia and fibula (right leg) in a skiing accident and had major surgery the next day. Since her accident, she has had 10 major surgeries to fix this leg and has not walked or driven in almost 6 years. The pain is absolutely excruciating, which has been the worst part of this injury. Because of the accident, the pain, all the surgeries, and stress on her body, her lupus has flared up and has begun to systemically affect her body.
SLE (lupus) is a chronic inflammatory disease that occurs when your body’s immune system attacks your own tissues and organs. Inflammation caused by lupus can affect many different body systems. For Nicole, it has been:
•Her brain – causing neurologic episodes
•Her heart – causing a heart condition known as SVT
•Her kidneys – causing drug resistant kidney and bladder infections that require hospitalization
•Her intestines – causing inflammatory bowel disease.
•Her bones – causing bone density loss
•Her lupus is also affecting her liver functions, skin, spleen, pancreas, lungs, joints, and she is starting to lose her hair.
It would take us 50 pages to explain in detail what Nicole has been up against the last 6 years. Just know that as a family, we have all spent way too much time in the hospital.
Most recently, in August 2016, she had her 10th surgery on her right leg in an attempt to save the leg and allow her to walk again. Her doctors also diagnosed her with early onset osteoporosis which also makes it harder for her bones to heal. If her bone does not heal from this surgery, then she will have to get her leg amputated. In order to even have a chance at healing, Nicole's doctors have put her on a daily injection called Forteo. This is a medication that will help her bones to become stronger, reduce her fracture risk, and hopefully help to heal her leg! This medication is $2500 a month and after insurance they still owe $890 a month! The doctor’s are prescribing this medicine for 1 year in order to ensure healing of the bone and prevent another non-healing fracture.
Nicole has also been forced to travel to California for her medical care because Oregon has proven to be unable to provide the level of specialized care that she needs. It would be unsafe for her to continue to get treated there. Until Nicole is able to relocate to California with her daughter she has to fly to California and back to Oregon every month for Dr's appointments, tests and treatments. Additionally when Nicole travels she requires someone to travel with her, doubling the travel cost. As one could imagine, the monthly trips down to CA are incredibly expensive.
Nicole's husband Kenneth also lost his job right during the middle of all this put an even bigger financial strain on their family. Also, Nicole and her family are drowning in medical expenses. They currently have more than $10,000 in medical bills at OHSU in Oregon. This is not even including all the hospital stays, tests and care she is receiving in Los Angeles. Those will likely be much higher than $10,000.
Nicole gives everything she has to be a good wife, mother, sister, daughter, aunt, and friend— she also battles like a warrior to heal her body. We know everybody says that the person they are helping is a saint, but Nicole is different than that. Some people that meet Nicole might see her as meek or insecure (if she wrote this letter, there would be at least 10 apologies for asking for your help), but we know her to be different. She is a warrior. She fights for goodness, for what is right, she represents light and love and all the things Christ calls us to be, and Nicole is overflowing with God’s grace. She is the type of person who builds others up, We are constantly begging her to stop (or appreciating) her devotion to help those in need (other than herself). Broken bones or not, that is just who Nicole is. She will always try to help everyone who crosses her path, so we hope this is our opportunity to do the same for her. We know, with full confidence, that God will provide for Nicole. But we ask, with total humility, that you might be a vessel to help meet these many needs.
We want and need this leg to heal for Nicole. She is in more pain than any of us could imagine. She wants to walk so bad. She wants to walk down the street holding her daughters hand, take her to the park, and be able to pick her up and hold her when she is sad. With crutches, a wheelchair or a walker you can't walk side by side and hold hands. This is something that she wants more than anything. In order to have any chance at this dream, doctors are telling her that she needs this medication ASAP.
Nicole is stronger than anyone could imagine. She continues to endure this tragic journey with incredible strength, grace, and persistence. This constant fight, financial strain and fear of not being able to get the medication she needs is taking its toll and she is in need of hope. This hope will be felt through your prayers, positive wishes, and donations. We are so grateful for anything you can do to help. Thank you to the many hands and the generous hearts of those that have helped already. And thank you in advance to those that are willing to help now.
Blessings,
Jaclyn Baucum
Rebekah Jackson
Brittany Fella
Organizer
Nicole Nakahara
Organizer
Lake Oswego, OR