Help Mieka & Family Thrive
Donativo protegido
Make 2017 a better year for Mieka and Family
My name is Dee and I created this campaign to support my dear friend Mieka and her family.
The Caskeys are one of the warmest, community-minded families I know. They are facing serious hardship and I’m trying to help by setting up this Go Fund Me campaign.
It’s been over two years since Mieka’s injury!
Before the injury, Mieka successfully managed the Sandpiper Landscape Department. One day, while pole-pruning, she strained her neck. This common muscle injury usually heals with simple treatments. However, instead of getting better, the pain and stiffness got worse.
It turns out, that Mieka’s neck injury is much more serious than first thought. Damaged ligaments at the top of her spine (where it connects to her head) and a bulging disc in her neck cause extreme nerve pain in her neck, head, face and back, muscle spasms, headaches, dizziness, vertigo and numbness in the hands. Some labourers who work with their arms over their head, such as drywallers and painters, have had this same issue.
Mieka has a strong, professional work ethic and is passionate about her career. Being unable to work is difficult on many levels. She tried returning to work, in various capacities, but acute pain makes it impossible – even when doing office work.
Because Mieka’s condition is invisible, she looks like her normal, healthy self. However, she is suffering inside. For example, she can’t reach up to get things at the grocery store, can’t sit in meetings and can’t work on the computer.
It’s so hard at home. Cooking, cleaning, yard work – all of it is extremely challenging. Most devastating though is limitations of physical play with her lovely children Ethan (5) and Oscar (3.5). It breaks Miekas heart that she can’t even lay in bed to read them bedtime stories or help out in their classroom at school. Mieka’s wonderful husband, Damen is a rock! He works full time yet still carries the extra load at home with patience.
We can all imagine how difficult this situation would be for a family.
Living on one income is a huge challenge. Aside from the normal costs of the average family, Mieka and Damon deal with extra medical expenses including treatments and medication. Treatments such as physiotherapy, acupuncture, massage therapy, cranial sacral therapy help Mieka manage the pain. Mieka knows her family is fortunate to have an extended medical plan, but even so, her treatments cost far more than the coverage allocates. So, she has to go without treatments. Also, the family has to pay for extra help with household costs including childcare, house cleaning and garden maintenance.
Over the last two years, both sets of parents have generously supported the family. They do so without complaint but there is a limit to how much more they can give. Mieka is exploring all other avenues of financial support. Unfortunately, WCB and CPP Long Term Disability denied her claims (because of an initial diagnosis mix up). We are all keeping our fingers crossed that her CPP appeal is successful.
There is hope on the horizon.
The next step in healing is a promising one. Mieka’s practitioner recommends Botox injections. Botox has proven successful in treating chronic conditions like this. Botox is partly covered by medical insurance, but it is still costly. She will need the injections every three months for three rotations to determine the effectiveness.
My goal is to raise enough money to ease the burden on the family and give Mieka a chance at healing with the treatments she needs. We can’t make the pain go away but we can help the family thrive; not just survive.
The vision I hold in my mind, is of Mieka fully healed and her family stronger for having come through this struggle together.
Every contribution, no matter the size, will be welcomed with warmth and gratitude.
My name is Dee and I created this campaign to support my dear friend Mieka and her family.
The Caskeys are one of the warmest, community-minded families I know. They are facing serious hardship and I’m trying to help by setting up this Go Fund Me campaign.
It’s been over two years since Mieka’s injury!
Before the injury, Mieka successfully managed the Sandpiper Landscape Department. One day, while pole-pruning, she strained her neck. This common muscle injury usually heals with simple treatments. However, instead of getting better, the pain and stiffness got worse.
It turns out, that Mieka’s neck injury is much more serious than first thought. Damaged ligaments at the top of her spine (where it connects to her head) and a bulging disc in her neck cause extreme nerve pain in her neck, head, face and back, muscle spasms, headaches, dizziness, vertigo and numbness in the hands. Some labourers who work with their arms over their head, such as drywallers and painters, have had this same issue.
Mieka has a strong, professional work ethic and is passionate about her career. Being unable to work is difficult on many levels. She tried returning to work, in various capacities, but acute pain makes it impossible – even when doing office work.
Because Mieka’s condition is invisible, she looks like her normal, healthy self. However, she is suffering inside. For example, she can’t reach up to get things at the grocery store, can’t sit in meetings and can’t work on the computer.
It’s so hard at home. Cooking, cleaning, yard work – all of it is extremely challenging. Most devastating though is limitations of physical play with her lovely children Ethan (5) and Oscar (3.5). It breaks Miekas heart that she can’t even lay in bed to read them bedtime stories or help out in their classroom at school. Mieka’s wonderful husband, Damen is a rock! He works full time yet still carries the extra load at home with patience.
We can all imagine how difficult this situation would be for a family.
Living on one income is a huge challenge. Aside from the normal costs of the average family, Mieka and Damon deal with extra medical expenses including treatments and medication. Treatments such as physiotherapy, acupuncture, massage therapy, cranial sacral therapy help Mieka manage the pain. Mieka knows her family is fortunate to have an extended medical plan, but even so, her treatments cost far more than the coverage allocates. So, she has to go without treatments. Also, the family has to pay for extra help with household costs including childcare, house cleaning and garden maintenance.
Over the last two years, both sets of parents have generously supported the family. They do so without complaint but there is a limit to how much more they can give. Mieka is exploring all other avenues of financial support. Unfortunately, WCB and CPP Long Term Disability denied her claims (because of an initial diagnosis mix up). We are all keeping our fingers crossed that her CPP appeal is successful.
There is hope on the horizon.
The next step in healing is a promising one. Mieka’s practitioner recommends Botox injections. Botox has proven successful in treating chronic conditions like this. Botox is partly covered by medical insurance, but it is still costly. She will need the injections every three months for three rotations to determine the effectiveness.
My goal is to raise enough money to ease the burden on the family and give Mieka a chance at healing with the treatments she needs. We can’t make the pain go away but we can help the family thrive; not just survive.
The vision I hold in my mind, is of Mieka fully healed and her family stronger for having come through this struggle together.
Every contribution, no matter the size, will be welcomed with warmth and gratitude.
Organizador
Dee Kinnee
Organizador
Chemainus, BC