<div>COMPLEX SURGICAL PROCEDURE
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<div>Medical Update: Philip’s upcoming surgery and recovery.
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<div>Philip is scheduled to undergo major surgery to correct a serious medical error
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<div>from a previous attempt to open his jugular vein using a titanium stent.
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<div>This complex procedure will involve three surgeons and their specialized teams,
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<div>each from a different medical discipline.
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<div>The surgery will take place at Queens Medical Centre – a Johns Hopkins Hospital
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<div>in Honolulu, Hawaii, the only facility equipped to perform this operation.
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<div>Recovery in Hawaii is expected to extend to mid-November.
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<div>Help Philip Recover from 17 Years of Debilitating Illness and Medical Trauma
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<div>For the past 17 years, Philip has endured unimaginable suffering, battling multiple
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<div>rare and complex medical conditions: Chiari Malformation, Ehlers-Danlos
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<div>Syndrome, and Eagle Syndrome each of which on their own can be debilitating.
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<div>Together, they created a perfect storm of chronic illnesses, severe intracranial
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<div>pressure, and constant, life-altering pain.
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<div>In a critical attempt to improve blood flow by opening a compressed jugular vein,
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<div>a titanium stent was surgically inserted. Tragically, the stent was mispositioned
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<div>due to an elongated styloid bone kinking the stent and compressing a bundle of
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<div>cranial nerves.
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<div>The result? A decade of excruciating, unrelenting pain. The titanium wires of the
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<div>stent eventually fractured, continuously crushing some of the most sensitive
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<div>nerves in the body. Pain specialists have described this type of nerve
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<div>compression, along with the pressure in the brain, as among the most severe
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<div>pain a human can endure.
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<div>A Life in Isolation, Bedridden for Over 15 Years
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<div>Philip has been completely bedridden for 15 years. The intense nerve pain,
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<div>combined with dangerously high pressure in the brain, made sleep nearly
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<div>impossible. Every day became a battle for survival.
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<div>Over the years, he underwent 12 major surgeries involving the brainstem, upper
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<div>cervical spine, skull base, and jugular veins. Because these conditions are so
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<div>misunderstood, Ontario’s healthcare system could not provide the level of care
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<div>required to keep Philip alive.
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<div>Their only option was to seek help from highly specialized surgeons and
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<div>physicians across the United States. Even with the best minds involved, many
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<div>treatments involved trial and error, and sadly, some of those errors have led to
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<div>permanent damage.
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<div>This required:
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<div> Out-of-country medical specialists
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<div> Extended hotel stays near hospitals and clinics
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<div> Specialized treatments for Lyme disease and immune collapse which
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<div>required Hundreds of IV infusions and specialty clinic in Philadelphia.
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<div> A range of costly medications, antibiotics, supplements, labs, and many
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<div>extended trips.
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<div>The Financial and Emotional Toll
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<div>To fund life-saving treatments, the family business founded by Philip in his late
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<div>20’s has been covering much of the medical expenses. However, due the illness,
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<div>he could no longer be part of the business leaving Philip and Esther for the past
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<div>17 years with only a small allowance to live on. Over the years, Philip and Esther
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<div>have also had to personally cover various additional expenses, including some of
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<div>the travel costs.
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<div>Philip’s wife, Esther, has been his full-time caregiver for over 14 years. During this
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<div>time, she has sacrificed nearly every aspect of her life, church involvement, social
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<div>connections, and even her own health to provide unwavering care and support
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<div>for him.
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<div>Now, Esther herself needs medical attention. She requires an ongoing wide range
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<div>of medical therapy, medications, and comprehensive support to recover from the
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<div>physical and emotional toll of years spent caregiving and isolation.
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<div>In addition to this, Esther is currently battling systemic infections and needs
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<div>rehabilitation for a concussion and an urgent abdominal surgery. She also
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<div>requires continued out-of-pocket therapy, which places a significant financial
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<div>burden on them both.
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<div>We Are Asking for Your Help
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<div>We’re now at a critical turning point. With hope on the horizon, we are trying
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<div>to rebuild our lives from the ground up but we can’t do it without help.
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<div>Your contributions will go directly toward:
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<div>1. Travel to ongoing medical appointments for both
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<div>2. Hotel stays, meals, and other travel expenses
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<div>3. Lifetime hormone replacement - expensive injections
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<div>4. Specialized rehabilitation and therapy for both (not covered by insurance)
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<div>5. Prescription medications
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<div>6. Medical debt repayment
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<div>7. Lost wages and basic household needs
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<div>8. Home modifications (e.g. specialty bathtub)
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<div>9. The farmhouse they are living in includes a large lawn, yard &amp; garden.
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<div>However, they do not have a lawnmower, tiller or any yard tools. They
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<div>will need assistance to purchase these items for Esther to grow her own
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<div>garden and maintain the property. She loves to do this.
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<div>10. Career education / investment for Philip to re-enter the workforce in the
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<div>future.
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<div>If you can’t donate, please consider sharing this page to help spread awareness
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<div>about these rare conditions and the devastating toll they can take on patients and
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<div>families.
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<div>Thank You for
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<div>Your support whether through a donation, a share, spreading our names as a
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<div>prayer request means the world to us. Even a kind word or warm response gives
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<div>us hope that we can finally move out of survival mode and into a season of
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<div>healing and rebuilding.
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<div>With gratitude,
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<div>Philip &amp; Esther Gerber
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<div>Contact:
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<div>Winfred and Jewel Nolt
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<div>Lititz, PA 17543
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<div><br />
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<div>Contact:
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<div>Scott and Amanda Roes
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<div>Millbank, ON
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Anonymous

VELMA BIRKY

Let's help Philip Gerber as he is headed for neck surgery

Still $25,434 to go. Help us build momentum.