Many a Mile: Patrick Sky's PD Road

OUR YOU CARING PAGE HAS MERGED WITH GO FUND ME AS OF JUNE 30. We are grateful for the many friends who have pitched in already. But you can still help by Sharing this with friends of Patrick's music you may know. Thank you, you have made all the difference for us. We're still struggling. Patrick was diagnosed with Parkinson's in June of 2017 but he didn't seem to accept it until it was confirmed in December by a second neurologist. Our lives have been chaotic since then. He was lucky to get into a physical therapy treatment known as LSVT BIG here in our mountain town of Spruce Pine, North Carolina earlier in the year and we were optimistic when the meds he was prescribed seemed to combine with the PT for a boost. But we have had obstacles moving forward with plans to seek health outside the area. I developed severe vertigo that laid me up in February and March. We had a car accident on the way to an appointment with the Duke Center for Excellence in Parkinson's in May and never got there.  June found Pat in the hospital for acute bronchitis, then I also came down with it. We live on fixed income; more than 30% of it goes to insurance and out-of-pocket drug deductibles. In the ten years we have been retired, we have depended on music-related income to fill in the gap between income and expense. That income is not possible now.  We fear losing insurance and the resulting financial stress. Pat's hopes of regaining his music haven't turned out for guitar and Uilleann pipes because of  muscular weakness, but he is able to pick up some accompaniment to Irish music on his bouzouki. The need to sell our place and downsize is pressing in on us; we didn't expect this onslaught of physical and emotional problems. Again, if you have donated already you have all our eternal love and gratitude. Please Share to others who might not know about Patrick's medical needs.