- J
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My wife, Coley, has something unique in common with Justin Bieber, Avril Lavigne, Alec Baldwin and Ben Stiller, and she has been hiding it for a while. This is not something that we ever planned on sharing, especially not until she was feeling better. However, its come to a point where the struggle outweighs the sanctuary of keeping it concealed any longer. My wife, Coley, has late stage Lyme disease, it’s been causing her agonizing pain and discomfort for three years and most of you wouldn’t know it. My goal is to obtain for her the treatment she needs in an attempt to improve her quality of life and I’m reaching out to all of you for help.
Let me give you a little background story before I ask you for any money:
Coley Douglass-Allen is a strong woman, as strong as they come. I’m not talking muscular or anything, in fact she’d practically fall over if you blew on her too hard.
I’m referring to the kind strength she possesses within her soul. I’m referring to her will to smile and pretend that everything is just fine when it’s really not. She has a way of exuding an energy that enlightens every experience you share with her. She is a pleasant woman, calm and sweet in demeanor. Slender and gracious with those blue eyes that melt my heart.
We met while working in a casino a little over 15 years ago. She had a unique way of carrying herself, her awkwardness added to her appeal and I was immediately drawn to her. Our relationship was honest and casual at first with no real expectation other than to enjoy our time together. We were both apprehensive for different reasons but apparently I used to be fairly handsome and she couldn’t resist my charm. Slowly and simply, all the pieces fell into place and we were married in the forest of Big Bear, CA in July 2008. We were an adventurous couple, we backpacked through Europe and traveled from Nova Scotia to New Zealand continually setting goals and planning trips for the rest of our lives. Our days were busy, we were youthful and vibrant with few cares in the world. We’d take road trips to nowhere, go camping and hiking, always pausing to recognize the beauty of it all.
She had been studying midwifery since long before we’d met and was intensely passionate about the profession of guiding women through the journey of childbirth. When not working at the casino, she was rushing off to assist midwives at homebirths. I found it abnormally easy to fall in love with this peculiar girl who would dash excitedly out of bed in the middle of the night only to come back a day later covered in meconium. She attended as many births as she could both here in the US and in Mexico, constantly reading, studying and taking in anything and everything that had to do with bringing a baby earthside. All of this eventually led to her licensure and recognition by both NARM as a Certified Professional Midwife and by the California Medical Board as a Licensed Midwife. She opened up her own practice (My Earth Birth Midwifery) in 2006 and has since attended hundreds of deliveries. To this day, she still rushes off at a moment’s notice when an expecting mother calls, though it’s not quite as easy for her to jump out of bed in excitement as it once was.
As time passed, Coley’s passion for childbirth transpired into the longing to answer her own call to motherhood. She loved so much being pregnant and as expected, she delivered all of our children unassisted in the comfort of our home. Though the tick had already bitten Coley eight years prior to our initial aspirations of starting a family, we had no idea what was to come by the time our third child was born. Within her body, a terrible illness was hiding, waiting for her immune system to falter and allow it to invade. A bad case of pneumonia in the eighth month of pregnancy with our son was the malefactor that began the downward spiral.
Sickness has always been prevalent in Coley’s life. She grew up with illness in the home. Her father passed from cancer when she was seventeen. Only to be followed by her mother Becky, who spent a decade battling breast cancer just to have it metastasize and rebound in her bones. We moved Becky in with us shortly after we got married and Coley spent the next four years caring for her until she passed. All the while, she was nurturing our children, our marriage and growing her business to help support it all.
What is late stage Lyme disease? I want to attempt to answer this one real quick so you will know what we are dealing with here. Lyme is somewhat mysterious, don’t feel silly for not knowing much about it, I used to think it was just a rash and fever you get from a tick bite. Which in fact, is exactly how it starts out, and if caught soon enough, can typically be remedied with a round of antibiotics. However, if the bite goes unnoticed or ignored and Lyme infiltrates the immune system, it can lay dormant for years and cause turmoil within the body. Once it has infiltrated the immune system, it’s a lifelong battle to recover. Symptoms include, but are not limited to: fatigue, numbness and joint pain, depression, widespread musculoskeletal pain, neurological difficulties as well as a slew of co-infections that come with their own list of exhausting symptoms.
Bringing the story full circle, we come to the past few years. The Coley I met back in 2004 still flickers within her eyes. But now when I look at her, I also see deeply rooted pain. I see exhaustion. I see a woman barely hanging on sometimes. The effort it takes for her to get out of bed, to get ready for the day, to take care of our children, it’s tragic to watch. She doesn’t deserve this torment. I want to end the pattern of sickness in her life. It’s been agonizing watching her go through this suffering; it’s saddening that the kids are now complacent with the wincing, the moans and typical fatigue that overwhelms her regularly. Though she is still completely able and passionate about performing her duties as a midwife, she hopes that she can continue to arise to meet the levels of energy necessary for the job. She fears that at some point, she may have to choose to forgo her life’s passion.
Initially, we spent considerable time and finances going to various doctors and yet she continually received mixed information and diagnosis. She was poked, prodded and tested for everything from multiple sclerosis and scleroderma to fibromyalgia and mold infections. Once diagnosed, finding treatment for late stage Lyme disease is ridiculously difficult given that so many Americans have it. We’d spend countless hours finding various cures and remedies online, I swear she’s tried everything. Just to get some sense of relief and to keep her immune system strong, she regularly gets vitamin infusions and ozone treatments through the port imbedded in her chest. She’s taken antibiotics for months on end with minimal relief. She’s joined Lyme support groups, chugged celery juice, taken hydrochloroquine (prescribed), gone on various cleanses and fasts, she’s tried Reiki, acupuncture, chiropractic subluxation, sound healing, coffee enemas and all the herbal supplements, teas and essential oils on the market. She reluctantly takes Ibuprofen or Acetaminophen to make it through work. We’ve even bought a sauna and she uses heat pads on her chest, back and hips around the clock. She handles pain like a champion. No words can encompass the intensity of her ability to cope. It humbles me to watch her. I thought I knew what back pain was, I have my own spinal issues, but what she deals with is relentless. Regardless of everything, she perseveres, concealing her pain daily. As she continues to pursue her passions, the Lyme simmers just beneath the surface, unnoticed by most, tormenting her. This past Mother’s Day, the kids made cards for her which included all the love, well wishes and wonderful things they wanted to convey to their amazing mom. The overwhelming theme of the cards was for her to get better, for her not to be in pain anymore, for her to run and play with them again. These sentiments broke my heart. It was at that moment that I decided to write this plea.
Coley has found a promising treatment facility that gives us hope for the future (Sanoviv Medical Institute ). She’s told me about it many times. The treatment is specific for her individual needs and is not offered here in the US. The drawback is that the cost of the treatment has kept it out of our reach. Though we have a PPO, medical insurance will not cover the costs. We truly didn’t think we’d ever be able to make it work considering the time she’d have to take away from her practice. Coupled with the financial burden, the remedy has always been just beyond our grasp. We have reached a precipice here in our home. A window of time has opened in late July 2020 for Coley to be able to attend this treatment facility. I couldn’t allow this moment to pass without making an authentic attempt to get her there.
I know that today is a difficult time for everyone. I feel somewhat insensitive and a bit obtuse for even suggesting the idea to ask for donations when there are so many others in need. I feel at this point, if Coley is brave enough to allow me to share her story, I’ll take the risk of asking for donations in the hope of getting a little bit closer to some relief for her. Thank you so much to all of you out there who have known of our plight and have always been so supportive. Thank you a million times over to those of you who are able to make a contribution to our cause. By the way, if any of you know the Biebs…send this in his direction.
Wayne
Let me give you a little background story before I ask you for any money:
Coley Douglass-Allen is a strong woman, as strong as they come. I’m not talking muscular or anything, in fact she’d practically fall over if you blew on her too hard.
I’m referring to the kind strength she possesses within her soul. I’m referring to her will to smile and pretend that everything is just fine when it’s really not. She has a way of exuding an energy that enlightens every experience you share with her. She is a pleasant woman, calm and sweet in demeanor. Slender and gracious with those blue eyes that melt my heart.
We met while working in a casino a little over 15 years ago. She had a unique way of carrying herself, her awkwardness added to her appeal and I was immediately drawn to her. Our relationship was honest and casual at first with no real expectation other than to enjoy our time together. We were both apprehensive for different reasons but apparently I used to be fairly handsome and she couldn’t resist my charm. Slowly and simply, all the pieces fell into place and we were married in the forest of Big Bear, CA in July 2008. We were an adventurous couple, we backpacked through Europe and traveled from Nova Scotia to New Zealand continually setting goals and planning trips for the rest of our lives. Our days were busy, we were youthful and vibrant with few cares in the world. We’d take road trips to nowhere, go camping and hiking, always pausing to recognize the beauty of it all.
She had been studying midwifery since long before we’d met and was intensely passionate about the profession of guiding women through the journey of childbirth. When not working at the casino, she was rushing off to assist midwives at homebirths. I found it abnormally easy to fall in love with this peculiar girl who would dash excitedly out of bed in the middle of the night only to come back a day later covered in meconium. She attended as many births as she could both here in the US and in Mexico, constantly reading, studying and taking in anything and everything that had to do with bringing a baby earthside. All of this eventually led to her licensure and recognition by both NARM as a Certified Professional Midwife and by the California Medical Board as a Licensed Midwife. She opened up her own practice (My Earth Birth Midwifery) in 2006 and has since attended hundreds of deliveries. To this day, she still rushes off at a moment’s notice when an expecting mother calls, though it’s not quite as easy for her to jump out of bed in excitement as it once was.
As time passed, Coley’s passion for childbirth transpired into the longing to answer her own call to motherhood. She loved so much being pregnant and as expected, she delivered all of our children unassisted in the comfort of our home. Though the tick had already bitten Coley eight years prior to our initial aspirations of starting a family, we had no idea what was to come by the time our third child was born. Within her body, a terrible illness was hiding, waiting for her immune system to falter and allow it to invade. A bad case of pneumonia in the eighth month of pregnancy with our son was the malefactor that began the downward spiral.
Sickness has always been prevalent in Coley’s life. She grew up with illness in the home. Her father passed from cancer when she was seventeen. Only to be followed by her mother Becky, who spent a decade battling breast cancer just to have it metastasize and rebound in her bones. We moved Becky in with us shortly after we got married and Coley spent the next four years caring for her until she passed. All the while, she was nurturing our children, our marriage and growing her business to help support it all.
What is late stage Lyme disease? I want to attempt to answer this one real quick so you will know what we are dealing with here. Lyme is somewhat mysterious, don’t feel silly for not knowing much about it, I used to think it was just a rash and fever you get from a tick bite. Which in fact, is exactly how it starts out, and if caught soon enough, can typically be remedied with a round of antibiotics. However, if the bite goes unnoticed or ignored and Lyme infiltrates the immune system, it can lay dormant for years and cause turmoil within the body. Once it has infiltrated the immune system, it’s a lifelong battle to recover. Symptoms include, but are not limited to: fatigue, numbness and joint pain, depression, widespread musculoskeletal pain, neurological difficulties as well as a slew of co-infections that come with their own list of exhausting symptoms.
Bringing the story full circle, we come to the past few years. The Coley I met back in 2004 still flickers within her eyes. But now when I look at her, I also see deeply rooted pain. I see exhaustion. I see a woman barely hanging on sometimes. The effort it takes for her to get out of bed, to get ready for the day, to take care of our children, it’s tragic to watch. She doesn’t deserve this torment. I want to end the pattern of sickness in her life. It’s been agonizing watching her go through this suffering; it’s saddening that the kids are now complacent with the wincing, the moans and typical fatigue that overwhelms her regularly. Though she is still completely able and passionate about performing her duties as a midwife, she hopes that she can continue to arise to meet the levels of energy necessary for the job. She fears that at some point, she may have to choose to forgo her life’s passion.
Initially, we spent considerable time and finances going to various doctors and yet she continually received mixed information and diagnosis. She was poked, prodded and tested for everything from multiple sclerosis and scleroderma to fibromyalgia and mold infections. Once diagnosed, finding treatment for late stage Lyme disease is ridiculously difficult given that so many Americans have it. We’d spend countless hours finding various cures and remedies online, I swear she’s tried everything. Just to get some sense of relief and to keep her immune system strong, she regularly gets vitamin infusions and ozone treatments through the port imbedded in her chest. She’s taken antibiotics for months on end with minimal relief. She’s joined Lyme support groups, chugged celery juice, taken hydrochloroquine (prescribed), gone on various cleanses and fasts, she’s tried Reiki, acupuncture, chiropractic subluxation, sound healing, coffee enemas and all the herbal supplements, teas and essential oils on the market. She reluctantly takes Ibuprofen or Acetaminophen to make it through work. We’ve even bought a sauna and she uses heat pads on her chest, back and hips around the clock. She handles pain like a champion. No words can encompass the intensity of her ability to cope. It humbles me to watch her. I thought I knew what back pain was, I have my own spinal issues, but what she deals with is relentless. Regardless of everything, she perseveres, concealing her pain daily. As she continues to pursue her passions, the Lyme simmers just beneath the surface, unnoticed by most, tormenting her. This past Mother’s Day, the kids made cards for her which included all the love, well wishes and wonderful things they wanted to convey to their amazing mom. The overwhelming theme of the cards was for her to get better, for her not to be in pain anymore, for her to run and play with them again. These sentiments broke my heart. It was at that moment that I decided to write this plea.
Coley has found a promising treatment facility that gives us hope for the future (Sanoviv Medical Institute ). She’s told me about it many times. The treatment is specific for her individual needs and is not offered here in the US. The drawback is that the cost of the treatment has kept it out of our reach. Though we have a PPO, medical insurance will not cover the costs. We truly didn’t think we’d ever be able to make it work considering the time she’d have to take away from her practice. Coupled with the financial burden, the remedy has always been just beyond our grasp. We have reached a precipice here in our home. A window of time has opened in late July 2020 for Coley to be able to attend this treatment facility. I couldn’t allow this moment to pass without making an authentic attempt to get her there.
I know that today is a difficult time for everyone. I feel somewhat insensitive and a bit obtuse for even suggesting the idea to ask for donations when there are so many others in need. I feel at this point, if Coley is brave enough to allow me to share her story, I’ll take the risk of asking for donations in the hope of getting a little bit closer to some relief for her. Thank you so much to all of you out there who have known of our plight and have always been so supportive. Thank you a million times over to those of you who are able to make a contribution to our cause. By the way, if any of you know the Biebs…send this in his direction.
Wayne