lets get Misha the treatment she needs
Donation protected
Hi, my name is Michellina, I’ve been with Dan for 21 years. Our dream is to build a house and make a home together. It hasn’t worked out for us because I’ve been chronically ill for 16 years:
at first diagnosed with multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) then, after 14 years, we found mould has been the cause, Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS) aka Mould Illness.
Dan is now my carer, cooks, cleans, shops, showers, takes me to dentists and doctors. For anyone who saw the TheFeedSBS interview we partook in on fragrance and multiple chemical sensitivity https://www.sbs.com.au/news/the-feed/mcs-the-condition-that-affects-one-million-australians-but-is-dismissed-by-doctors you may have some understanding of just one of my illnesses but it’s not just a matter of isolation, having such a severe sensitivity to fragrance I cannot hug my relatives unless they use our fragrance free products, changing into clothes that are free from washing powder beforehand—my medical conditions mean choosing between building a specialised home for MCS or having CIRS treatment. I can’t go into buildings with water damage and mould as I get extremely sick.
I am sick, in bed, most days. A good day is a day I can drive to the beach and walk with my dog, sometimes with Dan; or practice my writing. On the worst days, I’m alone, have run out of bottled oxygen and either rain, chimney smoke or lawnmowers impact my breathing from scaring on my lung.
Last year we spent $8000 for a few weeks treatment, expensive IV drips, testing and assessments. I’ve been on expensive CIRS medications for two years. There is no money for treatment and renting oxygen is a struggle for us.
My treatment and costs
CIRS Medications, $6,934.80 per year. Dietary supplements (due to limited diet) cost up to $900 for 2 months. Doctors’ fees: Specialist 1: The same doctor who diagnosed me with CIRS after 14 years of doctors and suffering: MCS treatment costs $50 for ten minutes ($450 for a full appointment); and I must access him via Skype—not Medicare covered. Doctor 2: CIRS specialist, $90 for ten minutes or $250 – 490 via Skype; CIRS testing for monitoring is $1200 and sent to Quest, US. Other treatments I can’t access: Overseas hospitals that treat MCS, CIRS treatments, do thorough Lyme testing (DNA test $400): access treatment to eradicate Lyme-like-illness co-infections, sinus staph and strep infections: Ozone Therapy and Hyperbaric Chamber—not available in Australia and cost around $34,000 in Malaysia; and $53, 000 at St Georges clinic in Germany costs for the same treatment. Heavenly Heat hardwood and glass Dry Sauna for sweating $4500 unless Dan can make one ; probiotics $53 a month.
so my goal is to raise $64,000 so that i may travel to have this life changing treatment to cure me of this terrible and debilitating illness.
My hopes for the future
To eat normal foods building my health back up; cured of all infections; cured of all chemical sensitivities with treatment for CIRS; access dentist to remove and replace teeth infected with the same sinus infection, strep—caused by CIRS; to afford access to Dr Mark Donohoe for specialist medical care; to afford proper testing for Lyme-like illness or Lyme; to have continuous flow oxygen at home for when my lungs hurt in damp weather, woodsmoke or when neighbours mow or burn off; to own a portable oxygen pack so I can go back to Victoria University one day a week and complete my BA in Writing and Editing (please see SBS article below video), go to family gatherings such as weddings, and have the occasional day out with Dan.
On a positive note: Dan is building me a special home. Hopefully, with assistance I can recover and we can live normally as planned. I am so grateful to have him as my partner in life. Please help us to get our lives back, thanking you in advance for reading this and any assistance offered.
Michellina van Loder and Dan Zdraveski
at first diagnosed with multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) then, after 14 years, we found mould has been the cause, Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS) aka Mould Illness.
Dan is now my carer, cooks, cleans, shops, showers, takes me to dentists and doctors. For anyone who saw the TheFeedSBS interview we partook in on fragrance and multiple chemical sensitivity https://www.sbs.com.au/news/the-feed/mcs-the-condition-that-affects-one-million-australians-but-is-dismissed-by-doctors you may have some understanding of just one of my illnesses but it’s not just a matter of isolation, having such a severe sensitivity to fragrance I cannot hug my relatives unless they use our fragrance free products, changing into clothes that are free from washing powder beforehand—my medical conditions mean choosing between building a specialised home for MCS or having CIRS treatment. I can’t go into buildings with water damage and mould as I get extremely sick.
I am sick, in bed, most days. A good day is a day I can drive to the beach and walk with my dog, sometimes with Dan; or practice my writing. On the worst days, I’m alone, have run out of bottled oxygen and either rain, chimney smoke or lawnmowers impact my breathing from scaring on my lung.
Last year we spent $8000 for a few weeks treatment, expensive IV drips, testing and assessments. I’ve been on expensive CIRS medications for two years. There is no money for treatment and renting oxygen is a struggle for us.
My treatment and costs
CIRS Medications, $6,934.80 per year. Dietary supplements (due to limited diet) cost up to $900 for 2 months. Doctors’ fees: Specialist 1: The same doctor who diagnosed me with CIRS after 14 years of doctors and suffering: MCS treatment costs $50 for ten minutes ($450 for a full appointment); and I must access him via Skype—not Medicare covered. Doctor 2: CIRS specialist, $90 for ten minutes or $250 – 490 via Skype; CIRS testing for monitoring is $1200 and sent to Quest, US. Other treatments I can’t access: Overseas hospitals that treat MCS, CIRS treatments, do thorough Lyme testing (DNA test $400): access treatment to eradicate Lyme-like-illness co-infections, sinus staph and strep infections: Ozone Therapy and Hyperbaric Chamber—not available in Australia and cost around $34,000 in Malaysia; and $53, 000 at St Georges clinic in Germany costs for the same treatment. Heavenly Heat hardwood and glass Dry Sauna for sweating $4500 unless Dan can make one ; probiotics $53 a month.
so my goal is to raise $64,000 so that i may travel to have this life changing treatment to cure me of this terrible and debilitating illness.
My hopes for the future
To eat normal foods building my health back up; cured of all infections; cured of all chemical sensitivities with treatment for CIRS; access dentist to remove and replace teeth infected with the same sinus infection, strep—caused by CIRS; to afford access to Dr Mark Donohoe for specialist medical care; to afford proper testing for Lyme-like illness or Lyme; to have continuous flow oxygen at home for when my lungs hurt in damp weather, woodsmoke or when neighbours mow or burn off; to own a portable oxygen pack so I can go back to Victoria University one day a week and complete my BA in Writing and Editing (please see SBS article below video), go to family gatherings such as weddings, and have the occasional day out with Dan.
On a positive note: Dan is building me a special home. Hopefully, with assistance I can recover and we can live normally as planned. I am so grateful to have him as my partner in life. Please help us to get our lives back, thanking you in advance for reading this and any assistance offered.
Michellina van Loder and Dan Zdraveski
Organizer and beneficiary
Tony Piccolo
Organizer
Eynesbury, VIC
slobodan zdraveski
Beneficiary