Rare West Nile Meningitis Case Needs Urgent Help!
Gary is my brother-in-law who lives in Arizona, and will turn 64 this month. He worked at Xerox for over 3 decades until he was able to retire with a small pension. He was perfectly healthy, living his life, watching football, walking his dogs, looking after his wife/my sister who suffers from fibromyalgia. My sister was a counselor and therapist who worked for decades in homeless shelters, and special needs children (she also has an adopted foster special needs son) -- and has been a strong advocate for those sectors of the population who don't have a voice.
Recently, Gary suddenly became extremely fatigued followed by a fever, vomiting, diarrhea etc. This was shortly followed by what appeared to be a stroke as he lost muscle and bowel control and could not lift his left arm. The paramedics took him to the nearest hospital where he would stay in the ICU for 5 days. He could not speak nor write, and an MRI showed a blood clot in his cerebellum , some blockage in the left side of his neck, as well as showing a lesion on his spinal cord. He was -- and still is-- in a near physically vegetative state, albeit mentally coherent (can shake his head or nod).
He cannot swallow and requires a feeding tube, now directly into his stomach as he can choke on his own mucous. After 7 days, he was diagnosed with West Nile Meningitis. Rarely, the virus can enter the brain and cause life-threatening complications. The doctor said it was the worst case of West Nile he's seen in 10 years.
Unfortunately Gary has no health insurance -- he had trouble with his premiums on a pension of $1,000 per month -- and planned to be on Medicare in a year. His social security is $2,000 per month, and not enough to qualify for government assistance. He was never sick; always excellent vitals; perfectly healthy.
He is now looking at hundreds of thousands of dollars from his ongoing hospitalization, and is now waiting at the hospital on "stand-bye" -- because no rehabilitation facility that will take him pro bono. The CDC is too busy with COVID to assist. As WNV is very little studied, and there is no vaccine/ no treatment, the doctor estimates at least 6 months to 2 years to recover (with an unknown outcome); so the only course of action (beyond a feeding tube and hydration) is getting Gary into a rehab facility that can help him with the long journey of working with his crippled central nervous system and brain, learning to speak again, swallow, walk, use the bathroom, build strength, and slowly recover his physical functionality.
We are asking for any donations that can help with the impossible medical expenses, rehabilitation; and moving toward eventual home-care etc. so that Gary and his spouse/my sister, can live a base-line existence and manage his recovery to the best of his ability -- so that he can feel he has a life again, some purpose, be with his dogs and his wife, feel needed again, have a sense of home, dignity -- all the things that we take for granted (that can literally change in an instant).
Your compassion is greatly appreciated.
