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Help #savejoelscolon Colitis Crohns

Joel really needs our help.

Last week, he was taken to the ER and has been in the hospital since. Joel is at risk of a perforated colon, he is in excruciating pain (needing several serious medications to keep him stabilized) and he’s currently doing everything he can to avoid colon removal surgery.

Joel has given relentlessly and unconditionally for years, dedicating his voice, resources, knowledge and servant leadership to the growing Crohn's and Colitis community.

He comes from a lineage of strength. His parents surived the Holocaust camps. 

Today he needs your help. He's been In hospital 19 days as of July 3rd. The longer in hospital the greater risk for infection or worse.

Here’s an update from Joel as of June 25th:

"Every night I spend hours in the bathroom, during the day I’m exhausted, I struggle to go on walks and get cold because of all the muscle mass I’ve lost. On top off that, I spend all my free time and energy researching my condition and finding a way to get off the meds I’m on — which I can’t stay on due to their negative long-term effects."

This is the latest scan of colon.  His GI has 40 years of practice and said this was the worst colons he's ever seen. To quote her, "it looks likes a meat grinder with signifcant risk of performation and potential septic colon/death". The colon *should* look like healthy skin on your arm, no red inflamation or bleeding, no ulcers, lesions, no black color (potential melanosis coli).


Joel has also lost 40 pounds due to inability to digest food without pain, plus all the stress his body has gone through.

He’s in a tough position — colon removal would solve some short term problems but would come with some not-so-fun side effects, including needing a colostomy bag, a higher risk of infection, his body having a higher malabsorption rate and potetial impotence for life.

The best option is to heal is colon not remove it.

He has been working with The Center for Integrative Medicine, Medical Doctors Integrative Dietitians, NDs (Naturopathic Doctors) ,  the UCSD GI team team, and holistic doctors for full coverage of both sides, Allopathic, Western and Alternative.

Anything safe, effective and evidence based. He is also  doing his own research to be sure he’s working this problem from an integrative approach but unfortunely most of this isn’t covered by insurance.

He is currently on some serious medications like IV Prednisone(solumedtrol), Pepcid, TPN, Lipids, topical antibiotic clindamycin for Staf infections on his back that looks like he's trying out for the next X-Men movie. He needs to find alternate solutions to these short term solutions. 

To make all this happen, he needs our help. He needs money to help with medical costs, insurance co-pays, deductibles, healing costs, supplement costs, recovery time, living expenses, moving expenses, and more.

As you know, Joel isn’t just an advocate for this approach because it’s worked for him, but he works tirelessly to help other patients who suffer from the same disease.


His journey isn’t just about healing his own body, it’s about being an example that Integrative medicine(best of both worlds) is a viable method for treating IBD that should be recognized,  covered by insurance and offered to others nationally and globally.  Education of both patients and health professionals of pulished clinical studies they likely are not currently aware of will be coming.

Here’s an update from his brother Steven:

I was with Joel in the hospital, he’s being pumped with medication, dreading his next potential trip to the bathroom, and this is what he says — “You know, I think this is just part of my journey to help people through One Great Gut. Now, I can relate even more to what they’re going through and give them even more support.”

Before he can continue to help others he first has to get through this — and he needs us to do it. Let’s show up for Joel the way he shows up for his community.

HOW YOU CAN HELP TODAY
1) Please GIVE what you can. No donation is too small. All tax-deductible.

2) SHARE on social media (#savejoelscolon)

3) EMAIL this page - gofundme.com/savejoelscolon - to your family + friends. LET'S GO VIRAL!

Alternative payment options :

Paypal, Bitcoin, Venmo

Check(with Tax Donation)

Helping Hands Ministries, Inc.
PO Box 337
Tallulah Falls, GA 30573
and include "Joel Sprechman Project" in the memo.

Follow his recovery on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joel.sprechman

With gratitude, and determination,

Joel, Steve, Herta, Dave, Joe and Adam





















 

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Organizer

Joel Sprechman
Organizer
Encinitas, CA

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