Help a Mum live again. Chaya's journey to healing.

"Bed bound, writhing in insufferable pain, neck, back, knee, ankle, even toe and ankle joints swollen double in size with inflammation.

These are just a few of the symptoms and suffering Chaya has endured for the last 7 years." A word from Chaya's husband James...

I’m Cath, one of Chaya’s besties, and I can’t stand anymore for the insufferable pain and debilitating trauma Chaya has and is experiencing. We’re trying to get Chaya, a Mum of 3 young boys a wife, a friend and a daughter - to Cyprus, where she can get treatment, to heal her from the constant pain and illness she has had to endure.

For the first few years, Chaya did not know what it was that her body was battling. Doctors, specialist’s, countless blood test’s, x-rays, ultrasounds – none of them knew what was causing the symptoms she was suffering from. All she wanted to know was a name, the name of whatever it was that was inflicting a variety of symptoms and at times excruciating pain.

It was in 2020, after 3 years of frustration after frustration, from hearing medical theory after medical theory, with no medical professional able to give a definitive diagnosis, that Chaya was tested and found to have Lyme disease.

Lyme Disease, is typically attributed to a bite from a tick, which if treated in the first 2 weeks with antibiotics should generally kill off the bacterial disease. Unfortunately for Chaya none of the doctors she saw remotely suggested Lyme disease as the likely cause and so she had suffered 3 years and would go on to continue suffering in intense and sometimes excruciating pain for a further 4 years, to this present day.

A word from Chaya's husband James...

"To paint a picture, when I say excruciating pain, I mean ambulances have been called, Paramedics have attended, (some of them long term veterans) baffled, with no clue what she was suffering from, nor able to administer anything to combat the pain. Pain that she would tell me was on par with that of childbirth. I have witnessed her in writhing agony so many times, but have felt so helpless. Chaya has experienced multiple plantar plate tears in both her feet, so painful that she had to crawl around the floors of our home - just to get to the toilet or bathroom. If, like me, you didn’t know what a plantar plate tear was, Google it, and you’ll have some understanding.

Thankfully in 2020, Chaya’s GP recommended her to a ground breaking medical trial, which finally saw her to getting some relief. The symptoms however continued on, and grew in variety, from muscle pain, brain fog, memory loss, constant nausea and reflux, headaches / migraines, blurred vision, chest pain, dizziness, and debilitating fatigue, resulting chronic depression. The severe joint inflammation I mentioned earlier required needles/syringe to be inserted into her toe joints and even index finger to extract built up fluid, to eleviate the pain.

The year Chaya became unwell (2017), our children were 6, 4, and 1. Over the years, her symptoms have become so much worse, and our children have grown up with the unpredictability of her health, resulting in missing key moments in our children’s lives. Chaya has seen some improvements, but due to how this chronic illness is and how limited we are in Australia to access suitable treatments, her recovery has halted, and she is left desperate for a better solution so that that she can do more than just survive."

A heartfelt word from Chaya.....

"I’m so thankful that God has carried me through some extremely dark times - far from untouched, I’m changed in ways I could never have expected, and I wouldn’t change the growth and the level of compassion I can now experience.

Each day, I have to choose to show up for my children, show up to work (when possible) to push myself to limits I never thought possible… and then do it again the next day.

I’m incredibly thankful for the things I do have, and that I’m still here growing older and seeing my children grow older too. For a husband who has the patience of a rare human who has loved and cared for me unceasingly - but who also wants his wife back. I want that too.

On days when things are not so good, prayer, memories, my family and close friends hold me up. It’s at these times we are shown the true nature of the people around us, and the people, my people, are outstanding. I’m often taken aback by these humans who will jump at the chance to help. These are the ones who have given me the courage to keep fighting and not accept this as my future.

I pray that this journey hasn’t been for nothing and that there is purpose in all of this.”

There are no further options for treatment in Australia that will significantly improve her quality of life, so travelling overseas is her best option to access treatment to get better and live a life, where she can do what she enjoys most – being a fun and present mother to the best 3 gifts God has given her, her sons.

Treatment will be overseas at a clinic in Cyprus that specifically treats Lyme disease. For 6 weeks, Chaya will receive a variety of intensive treatments.

All money donated will go to the 6 weeks of treatment therapy, travel expenses, living costs and accommodation.

The thought of this level of health and actually be able to ‘Living LIFE’ brings incredible hope for her future! Chaya has so much ahead of her and as one of her many many friends around her, I desire for her to access the appropriate treatment for the greatest chance, not neglecting what God has already done, but seeing where He leads her on this next step of the healing journey.

Whether you know Chaya or not, I know you can sympathise with the depth of suffering this has caused her and how that has impacted her life – enough is enough!

We need her to flourish once again!

Thank you so much for your generosity.

We really appreciate your help!