Donation protected
For the past 9 years, my mother, Jo Schmidt, has been dealing with a complex and diverse array of illnesses. While the process of understanding her sickness has taken time, we - as a family - have obtained a verified diagnosis and are moving evermore towards increasingly effective treatments, due to my mom's tireless self-care efforts and the help of skilled doctors and caregivers.
Currently: Jo was officially diagnosed with Lyme disease a few years ago, and with this diagnosis her other illnesses and symptoms were given a root source, and thus made easier to identify and treat. This Lyme disease, coupled with genetic complexities, has been the cause of 11 co-infections. The natures of these co-infections range from immune system issues and parasites to an inability to absorb vital nutrients. These symptoms were triggered by a serious accident Jo suffered 9 years ago, which caused a brain injury. The trauma of this injury caused her illnesses (many of which were present but dormant) to manifest, alongside the grave conditions directly linked to brain damage.
The complexity and difficulty of Jo's treatment is severe at best, and a thorough explanation would require at least one book, but my mom has become a weathered expert on the subject of her condition. The lack of substantial research on the diseases which afflict my mom also makes conclusive or effective treatment both difficult to obtain and often expensive.
Because of her condition, Jo has been unable to work at all for the past 9 years -- she was formerly a music therapist-- and will likely never be able to again. My father, Paul, has worked tirelessly to support us all, but the difficulty of Jo's sickness - both emotional and financial - has taken its toll over the years.
During this time Jo has had an endless array of medical expenses, and recently, new expenses which are essential for her health have been introduced to her treatment. We would like to offer the chance for our friends and family to donate any amount of money to help lighten the weight of these costs. Any money that is donated will go directly to paying for medication, specifically antibiotics, IV infusion treatments, and essential vitamins (B6, B12, C, iron, etc.).
Even $5 would be a real help for Jo and Paul -- any donation will help provide fiscal and thus mental relief for us as a family.
If you are curious about my mother's illnesses, I want to stress that this is neither a platform to prescribe diagnoses nor to list all of the conditions and symptoms which my mom suffers (which I have specifically left out for the sake of her comfort). This is simply a space in which my family and I have chosen to reveal personal facts pertaining to the very real and unebbing trials and tribulations of my mother, Jo, because we are in need of support.
Thank you for your thoughts and gestures of support and care. Every seemingly small act makes a difference.
I would also like to thank you simply for reading this (believe me, this is the simplified version of my mom's situation).
We are forever grateful to those who have given us their unconditional love and support over the past near-decade. Jo is a warrior, and my greatest personal inspiration - I am so proud to have such a powerful and resilient woman as my mother.
Currently: Jo was officially diagnosed with Lyme disease a few years ago, and with this diagnosis her other illnesses and symptoms were given a root source, and thus made easier to identify and treat. This Lyme disease, coupled with genetic complexities, has been the cause of 11 co-infections. The natures of these co-infections range from immune system issues and parasites to an inability to absorb vital nutrients. These symptoms were triggered by a serious accident Jo suffered 9 years ago, which caused a brain injury. The trauma of this injury caused her illnesses (many of which were present but dormant) to manifest, alongside the grave conditions directly linked to brain damage.
The complexity and difficulty of Jo's treatment is severe at best, and a thorough explanation would require at least one book, but my mom has become a weathered expert on the subject of her condition. The lack of substantial research on the diseases which afflict my mom also makes conclusive or effective treatment both difficult to obtain and often expensive.
Because of her condition, Jo has been unable to work at all for the past 9 years -- she was formerly a music therapist-- and will likely never be able to again. My father, Paul, has worked tirelessly to support us all, but the difficulty of Jo's sickness - both emotional and financial - has taken its toll over the years.
During this time Jo has had an endless array of medical expenses, and recently, new expenses which are essential for her health have been introduced to her treatment. We would like to offer the chance for our friends and family to donate any amount of money to help lighten the weight of these costs. Any money that is donated will go directly to paying for medication, specifically antibiotics, IV infusion treatments, and essential vitamins (B6, B12, C, iron, etc.).
Even $5 would be a real help for Jo and Paul -- any donation will help provide fiscal and thus mental relief for us as a family.
If you are curious about my mother's illnesses, I want to stress that this is neither a platform to prescribe diagnoses nor to list all of the conditions and symptoms which my mom suffers (which I have specifically left out for the sake of her comfort). This is simply a space in which my family and I have chosen to reveal personal facts pertaining to the very real and unebbing trials and tribulations of my mother, Jo, because we are in need of support.
Thank you for your thoughts and gestures of support and care. Every seemingly small act makes a difference.
I would also like to thank you simply for reading this (believe me, this is the simplified version of my mom's situation).
We are forever grateful to those who have given us their unconditional love and support over the past near-decade. Jo is a warrior, and my greatest personal inspiration - I am so proud to have such a powerful and resilient woman as my mother.
Organizer
Haley Schmidt
Organizer
Lafayette, CA