Medical Debt from Rare Disease,Traumatizes Family

Larry and Esther Booker. We are the grandparents of Christina and hope you can help them financially with the ever-increasing debt from medical bills. Could you also pray for an answer to Spencer's medical problem?

Charissa Barnes Haines (Spencer's mom) wrote the following about Spencer's medical problems and what the family has been going through.

Spencer and his wife, Christina, had an idyllic life with their two sons. However, about 7 years ago a disease struck Spencer that made their life tragic. It wasn’t cancer, or an addiction, or heart problems, or anything else people are aware of. It is a very rare, yet very destructive disease that is devastating their family. This disease is called Auto-Brewery Syndrome (ABS), also called Gut Fermentation Syndrome. This syndrome is a condition in which ethanol is produced (which turns to alcohol) by fungi or bacteria in the gastrointestinal (GI) system. People with this disease can become drunk almost instantly without taking a sip of alcohol. Spencer has gone from .0 on the BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) to .4 within a very short amount of time. The legal limit for driving is .08. A BAC of .4 for someone consuming alcohol would lead to severe central nervous system depression, coma, and the possibility of death. Spencer has aspirated while passed out in bed where Christina has had to watch him for 8-10 hours to make sure he does not choke to death. He has also fallen multiple times and broken his ribs, bones in his face and ear, and had many multiple bruises and lacerations. And he doesn’t remember any of it. He had a traffic incident he was in while “flaring.” Fortunately, no one was hurt and it was proven to the court that his disease is real. He chose to stop driving because of the possibility of flaring anywhere, any time, so he is limited on what work he can do. This disease has stolen so much from this Christian family who loves Jesus. Their two sons have lost their Dad in so many ways it is heartbreaking. His wife, Christina (fortunately a nurse) has stood by Spencer through more tough times than we can mention, yet her faith in God and Spence remains strong. Spencer’s family and Christina’s family are supportive and do what they can – especially through prayer. The financial burden of this disease adds much stress to the weight they already carry. They have tried Western medicine, Eastern medicine, holistic, naturopathic, and other forms of medicine. Some things work for a while, but the disease comes back with a vengeance. We are asking for financial help for this family because the debt is rising and income could reduce soon if he is not healed (cured). Thank you for considering helping Spencer, Christina, Asher & Jace. Blessings!