Jacob's care

My nephew Jacob Gabrial Bitzel is our miracle boy, our hero who has endured more in his lifetime then most grown adults.  Jacob was born a beautiful healthy baby.  When Jake was 5 weeks old his father attempted to kill him.  Jacob was life flighted to Geisenger hospital in Pennsylvania for an emergency brain surgery to save his life.  They removed part of the brain that was smashed and like mush from the injury.  The part of the brain removed was what controls your vision causing him to be blind.  The next day he started to have grand mal seizures.  Jake lost the ability to swallow resulting in him having to eat thru a G-tube.  He spent 17 days in the hospital, with each passing day we were unsure if we would bring him home. The doctors all but gaurenteed Jake would be nothing more then a vegetable if he even made it another day.  So far from true.  They said he wouldnt celebrate his first birthday.  Jacob never learned to walk.  He is not able to speak. His brain functions at a 5 month old level according to current day  EEG's. Jacob has had 14 major surgeries during his life time and lots of metal put in his body.  He had a severe case of scoliosis resulting in a metal rod being fused to his spine.  Jake had hip dysplasia resulting in 2 hip surgeries. Cerebral palsy caused him to have his wrists fused.  We like to laugh and say he is our bionic man.  As Jacob has gotten older his ability to fight infections has diminished. He just celebrated his 18th birthday in June and has spend the majority of his adulthood in the hospital trying to fight pneumonia and pseudomonas.  Unfortunately the infections have won and Jacob is not strong enough to fight anymore. This past Saturday they placed him in hospice care.  My sister Joy is one of the strongest, bravest women I know.  18 years ago she gave up her own freedom to care for Jake 24hrs a day.  She is a loving mother who has always put Jake's needs before her own.  Joy was unable to work due to the countless hospital stays both local and hours away, the millions of doctor appointments they have gone to, the surgeries, staying up all night with non 24, dealing with his seizure episodes, ect. After Jacob was injured we tried to take out a life insurance policy on him, as we did not get around to it before the trauma at 5 weeks old.  No matter what company we called we were always told the same thing. He is not eligible due to his pre existing conditions.    Please consider giving a donation to help with the costs of the funeral service for a true Angel here on earth getting ready to stretch out his wings and fly home to Heaven.