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Friends, I'll start by saying this is very hard for me, for us, to do. Asking for help is not an easy thing for us at all. In a nut shell, our family is under a big medical burden, and have been for quite some time. I'll explain in short first and then if you want to read more, you can continue to read on below. 4 1/2 years ago, Lisa had a severe, full body, multi-organ system adverse reaction to the antibiotic Levaquin which she was given for a simple sinus infection. She has made a LOT of progress from the beginning in the days when she couldn't walk, bend her fingers, and when the nerve damage was so severe that her body felt like it was on fire from the inside out. However, there is still quite a bit that needs to be handled. The FDA is finally acknowledging a condition called FQAD (Fluoroquinolone Associated Disability) which is what happened to Lisa. http://www.abc15.com/news/local-news/investigations/fda-announces-meeting-to-discuss-safety-of-popular-antibiotics-like-cipro-levaquin
However, most doctors do not know how to handle the multitude of health issues that it encompasses and insurance companies don't want to cover the treatments necessary to reverse it all. If left alone, there are risk factors for much more serious issues. In addition to Lisa's health issues, our son Hudson, who is now 9, has extensive food allergies which have been getting worse and worse each year that passes. He now has 12 foods that carry life threatening anaphylactic risk and many, many more that are just below that level. There are only 8 ingredients (I say ingredients instead of foods bc vanilla and canola oil are ingredients) to which he has no allergy. It has become very difficult to feed him and extremely frustrating for a child so young to live this way. So all that to say, after roughly $120,000 spent out of pocket over the last 4 1/2 years and a 6 month period of unemployment this past year, we are in need of some help in order for Lisa to continue care and finish the race she's running to regain her health and for Hudson to get the care that he needs from a doctor who brings hope that he believes it can all be solved. Additionally, Jon spent time in the hospital last year for a life threatening infection which affected his immune system, and we have learned that he is testing positive for a very high level of Epstein Barr that is causing complications for him as well which needs to be addressed. If you are able to help with even a small donation, we would be so grateful. Lisa hasn't been fully well in so long that she has forgotten what that feels like. She is still very convinced that her body can and will fully heal. So much progress has been seen over the last 4 1/2 years. We don't want to lose momentum. All money received will be spent on additional needed testing, treatment & care for Hudson, Jon and Lisa. Thank you!
If you'd like to read more detail of our story, see below...
Many of you know Lisa's story...our story, but for those of you who don't, I'll try to give an abbreviated version to a very long story. In 2009, in an effort to be good stewards of our money, we decided to sell our house and downsize into an older, smaller, less expensive home which needed work in order to save money. We had no idea what would ensue.
We lived there for 2 years and for 2 years Lisa was chronically sick, with sinus infections and unexplained fatigue, not knowing there was mold in that house that was making her sick....and as it turns out was affecting our son Hudson, who was at the time 3. (More on him a bit later) Then in April 2011, Lisa ended up being treated for yet another sinus infection with a very high powered antibiotic called Levaquin. What we didn't know was how high powered and dangerous this antibiotic potentially was. She just thought she was taking an antibiotic for her sinus infection. It was like sending in the atom bomb to kill a gnat.
Lisa began reacting with a neurological event after 5 days. She called the doctor who brushed it off. Then 3 days later, when the neurological event didn't go away, he told her it was most likely due to swollen sinuses leaning on a nerve and dosed her with another round of Levaquin. She knew she still had the sinus infection, so she trusted him. At the end of that next 8 days, Lisa had tendon and ligament pain which grew and continued until it ended up encompassing her entire body, down to the ligaments that hold her teeth in. She could not walk and had such severe nerve damage that her body felt like it was on fire everywhere from the inside out. This pain would last over 2 years without relief. The doctor acknowledged that the Levaquin had sparked off this awful series of debilitating events, but at this point, it was too late. He feebly tried to help for 3 months and wanted to declare Lisa permanently disabled. She adamantly refused that label telling him that she did not believe in permanence, that her body was created in an amazing way and if given the right environment, it would heal, even if he didn't know what to do. The further we have walked, the more we have seen that to be true.
However, what we didn't know was that these drugs can have latent effects, causing the body to get worse over time...and she did just that, for 2 1/2 years Lisa grew sicker before plateauing out. Before it was all said and done, all her connective tissues were damaged with multiple tears throughout her body, with severe nerve damage throughout her body, and as well, her liver, adrenals and digestive system were badly damaged. Almost every body system was affected. Her immune system was greatly affected too as she battled many chronic infections throughout the course of the last 4 1/2 years. Lisa also suffers from chronic fatigue from all of this and the mitochondrial damage that occurred as well.
Various doctors were visited over the course of the past 4 1/2 yrs and various therapies...many of which helped to get her a measure better and to the point she is at today. The last 4 1/2 years has been very expensive and hard on us as a family. We have spent roughly $120,000 out of pocket...because insurance will pay for the drug that so badly damaged her but won't pay for the therapies that actually help.
Last Oct, Jon lost his job in a reduction of force and was out of work for 6 months. During that time, we used up our savings and incurred a large amount of debt between Lisa's medical and Hudson's medical. So here is where Hudson comes in...he has severe and extensive food allergies...all of which have grown worse over the years. He currently has 12 anaphylactic risk foods and a whole list of ones that are just below that. He literally has 8 foods that he has no level of allergy to. So between Hudson and Lisa, our food bill is quite high due to the organic and specialized foods we have to buy.
We were recently introduced to a doctor who believes he can help both Hudson and Lisa finish up the healing process. At last blood check, Lisa is still testing very high for a chronic virus called Epstein Barr, which moved in when her immune system became suppressed. Also, blood work shows that most body systems, especially her liver, adrenals, and digestive system are still suffering greatly.
Of course, as with everything else, it will be all out of pockets for us. This doctor is very confident in his ability to finish off the healing process for Lisa and to get Hudson's body to stop over reaction to nearly every food he comes in contact with. Lisa has already begun his treatments and is beginning to see small signs of improvement already. However all of this, after the last 4 1/2 years, after Hudson's health issues escalating and after tapping out our savings from Jon being out of work for 6 months, we are in need of help for her to continue and for Hudson to get the treatment he needs. If you are able to help with even a small donation, we would be so grateful. Lisa hasn't been fully well in so long that she has forgotten what that feels like. She is still very convinced that her body can and will fully heal. So much progress has been seen over the last 4 1/2 years. We don't want to lose momentum. All money received will be spent on additional needed testing, treatment & care for Hudson, Jon and Lisa. Thank you!
If you would like to learn more about the drug that damaged Lisa and the condition called Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Syndrome, you can go to http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/10/20/fluoroquinolones-side-effects.aspx
However, most doctors do not know how to handle the multitude of health issues that it encompasses and insurance companies don't want to cover the treatments necessary to reverse it all. If left alone, there are risk factors for much more serious issues. In addition to Lisa's health issues, our son Hudson, who is now 9, has extensive food allergies which have been getting worse and worse each year that passes. He now has 12 foods that carry life threatening anaphylactic risk and many, many more that are just below that level. There are only 8 ingredients (I say ingredients instead of foods bc vanilla and canola oil are ingredients) to which he has no allergy. It has become very difficult to feed him and extremely frustrating for a child so young to live this way. So all that to say, after roughly $120,000 spent out of pocket over the last 4 1/2 years and a 6 month period of unemployment this past year, we are in need of some help in order for Lisa to continue care and finish the race she's running to regain her health and for Hudson to get the care that he needs from a doctor who brings hope that he believes it can all be solved. Additionally, Jon spent time in the hospital last year for a life threatening infection which affected his immune system, and we have learned that he is testing positive for a very high level of Epstein Barr that is causing complications for him as well which needs to be addressed. If you are able to help with even a small donation, we would be so grateful. Lisa hasn't been fully well in so long that she has forgotten what that feels like. She is still very convinced that her body can and will fully heal. So much progress has been seen over the last 4 1/2 years. We don't want to lose momentum. All money received will be spent on additional needed testing, treatment & care for Hudson, Jon and Lisa. Thank you!
If you'd like to read more detail of our story, see below...
Many of you know Lisa's story...our story, but for those of you who don't, I'll try to give an abbreviated version to a very long story. In 2009, in an effort to be good stewards of our money, we decided to sell our house and downsize into an older, smaller, less expensive home which needed work in order to save money. We had no idea what would ensue.
We lived there for 2 years and for 2 years Lisa was chronically sick, with sinus infections and unexplained fatigue, not knowing there was mold in that house that was making her sick....and as it turns out was affecting our son Hudson, who was at the time 3. (More on him a bit later) Then in April 2011, Lisa ended up being treated for yet another sinus infection with a very high powered antibiotic called Levaquin. What we didn't know was how high powered and dangerous this antibiotic potentially was. She just thought she was taking an antibiotic for her sinus infection. It was like sending in the atom bomb to kill a gnat.
Lisa began reacting with a neurological event after 5 days. She called the doctor who brushed it off. Then 3 days later, when the neurological event didn't go away, he told her it was most likely due to swollen sinuses leaning on a nerve and dosed her with another round of Levaquin. She knew she still had the sinus infection, so she trusted him. At the end of that next 8 days, Lisa had tendon and ligament pain which grew and continued until it ended up encompassing her entire body, down to the ligaments that hold her teeth in. She could not walk and had such severe nerve damage that her body felt like it was on fire everywhere from the inside out. This pain would last over 2 years without relief. The doctor acknowledged that the Levaquin had sparked off this awful series of debilitating events, but at this point, it was too late. He feebly tried to help for 3 months and wanted to declare Lisa permanently disabled. She adamantly refused that label telling him that she did not believe in permanence, that her body was created in an amazing way and if given the right environment, it would heal, even if he didn't know what to do. The further we have walked, the more we have seen that to be true.
However, what we didn't know was that these drugs can have latent effects, causing the body to get worse over time...and she did just that, for 2 1/2 years Lisa grew sicker before plateauing out. Before it was all said and done, all her connective tissues were damaged with multiple tears throughout her body, with severe nerve damage throughout her body, and as well, her liver, adrenals and digestive system were badly damaged. Almost every body system was affected. Her immune system was greatly affected too as she battled many chronic infections throughout the course of the last 4 1/2 years. Lisa also suffers from chronic fatigue from all of this and the mitochondrial damage that occurred as well.
Various doctors were visited over the course of the past 4 1/2 yrs and various therapies...many of which helped to get her a measure better and to the point she is at today. The last 4 1/2 years has been very expensive and hard on us as a family. We have spent roughly $120,000 out of pocket...because insurance will pay for the drug that so badly damaged her but won't pay for the therapies that actually help.
Last Oct, Jon lost his job in a reduction of force and was out of work for 6 months. During that time, we used up our savings and incurred a large amount of debt between Lisa's medical and Hudson's medical. So here is where Hudson comes in...he has severe and extensive food allergies...all of which have grown worse over the years. He currently has 12 anaphylactic risk foods and a whole list of ones that are just below that. He literally has 8 foods that he has no level of allergy to. So between Hudson and Lisa, our food bill is quite high due to the organic and specialized foods we have to buy.
We were recently introduced to a doctor who believes he can help both Hudson and Lisa finish up the healing process. At last blood check, Lisa is still testing very high for a chronic virus called Epstein Barr, which moved in when her immune system became suppressed. Also, blood work shows that most body systems, especially her liver, adrenals, and digestive system are still suffering greatly.
Of course, as with everything else, it will be all out of pockets for us. This doctor is very confident in his ability to finish off the healing process for Lisa and to get Hudson's body to stop over reaction to nearly every food he comes in contact with. Lisa has already begun his treatments and is beginning to see small signs of improvement already. However all of this, after the last 4 1/2 years, after Hudson's health issues escalating and after tapping out our savings from Jon being out of work for 6 months, we are in need of help for her to continue and for Hudson to get the treatment he needs. If you are able to help with even a small donation, we would be so grateful. Lisa hasn't been fully well in so long that she has forgotten what that feels like. She is still very convinced that her body can and will fully heal. So much progress has been seen over the last 4 1/2 years. We don't want to lose momentum. All money received will be spent on additional needed testing, treatment & care for Hudson, Jon and Lisa. Thank you!
If you would like to learn more about the drug that damaged Lisa and the condition called Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Syndrome, you can go to http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/10/20/fluoroquinolones-side-effects.aspx