- K
Rachel Archuletta is one of the brightest, most caring people I know. She has a keen intelligence, curiosity, genuine care for others, and a wonderful sense of humor led by a dazzling smile. A singularly gifted actress with classical training, her life was on a brilliant trajectory. She was a vibrant, active contributing member of the world. But her life's journey took an unexpected turn.
Her path over the past 15 years has been a rough one. A tick bite many years ago left Rachel with a serious Lyme Disease infection that invaded her nervous system. She has spent years seeking help from one specialist after another, sometimes gaining ground toward healing, and sometimes slipping back. The medical records chronicling this journey now exceed a staggering 4,000 pages! This past August she developed a puzzling pain in her right foot, which quickly spread up her calf. A few weeks later pain appeared in her left hand and arm, along with severe contraction of the arm. More doctors, more specialists, each referring her on to someone else. She finally received the sobering, serious diagnosis of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome or CRPS, a poorly understood and extremely painful chronic condition of the central and peripheral nervous systems for which there is no cure. You can watch a short video that explains more about CRPS here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b49DtFigbbw
Thankfully, Rachel was admitted to Stanford Hospital via the Emergency Room this past Friday. She finally has the attention of some of the best minds in medicine, which has given her hope. It is unclear how long she will stay. The cost will be astronomical. Since CRPS is a permanent condition, she will need ongoing treatment to manage her pain. She has Medicaid; however, that only covers 80% and many of the medications she needs are not covered at all. She has been unable to work for many years and is now totally bed-bound.
Her mother, Susan, is caring for Rachel, which has become a 24/7 job. She is understandably stretched impossibly thin, physically, emotionally and financially. Their situation is dire. They need our help. Money raised here will go directly to Rachel and Susan to help pay for the many expenses involved in her ongoing care: Medications, co-pays, travel, motels, alternative care not covered by insurance, supplements, etc.
You may know and love Rachel, as I do, and you may not. In either case, I thank you for considering donating any amount. And please consider sharing this campaign on your social media. This kind of crisis could befall any one of us at any time. Life is uncertain and fragile. We cannot control the direction in which the river of life takes us, and we cannot anticipate the rapids we will encounter along the way, but we can tend lovingly and generously to those in our raft. Thank you so much!
Her path over the past 15 years has been a rough one. A tick bite many years ago left Rachel with a serious Lyme Disease infection that invaded her nervous system. She has spent years seeking help from one specialist after another, sometimes gaining ground toward healing, and sometimes slipping back. The medical records chronicling this journey now exceed a staggering 4,000 pages! This past August she developed a puzzling pain in her right foot, which quickly spread up her calf. A few weeks later pain appeared in her left hand and arm, along with severe contraction of the arm. More doctors, more specialists, each referring her on to someone else. She finally received the sobering, serious diagnosis of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome or CRPS, a poorly understood and extremely painful chronic condition of the central and peripheral nervous systems for which there is no cure. You can watch a short video that explains more about CRPS here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b49DtFigbbw
Thankfully, Rachel was admitted to Stanford Hospital via the Emergency Room this past Friday. She finally has the attention of some of the best minds in medicine, which has given her hope. It is unclear how long she will stay. The cost will be astronomical. Since CRPS is a permanent condition, she will need ongoing treatment to manage her pain. She has Medicaid; however, that only covers 80% and many of the medications she needs are not covered at all. She has been unable to work for many years and is now totally bed-bound.Her mother, Susan, is caring for Rachel, which has become a 24/7 job. She is understandably stretched impossibly thin, physically, emotionally and financially. Their situation is dire. They need our help. Money raised here will go directly to Rachel and Susan to help pay for the many expenses involved in her ongoing care: Medications, co-pays, travel, motels, alternative care not covered by insurance, supplements, etc. You may know and love Rachel, as I do, and you may not. In either case, I thank you for considering donating any amount. And please consider sharing this campaign on your social media. This kind of crisis could befall any one of us at any time. Life is uncertain and fragile. We cannot control the direction in which the river of life takes us, and we cannot anticipate the rapids we will encounter along the way, but we can tend lovingly and generously to those in our raft. Thank you so much!
Organizer and beneficiary
Rachel Archuletta
Beneficiary