Stand by Joey in Her Health Battle

Through many years of medical issues related to scleroderma, our friend Joey Barlow has maintained her sense of humor and positive attitude, and has been a generous and caring friend to many. Now she needs our help. Joey has had a cascade of medical problems over the past few months, and she really needs our support. She would love to have your facebook messages and texts to let her know you are thinking of her. But right now, she also needs some help with uncovered medical expenses. In particular, the only pain medication her doctors have found that works costs in excess of $1,000/month. Joey is not one to ask for help, but we all know "asking for help is a sign of strength." Let's support Joey in her battle against scleroderma and help her get her energy and "mojo" back!

I'm sharing here her own words from Facebook this week:

"Many of you know, I struggle hard, but quietly, with scleroderma and sjrogrens. Every. Single. Day. These past 2 months have really challenged me in every way imaginable. I have had 2 hand surgeries, slipped and fell on the garage floor with wet feet and broke my toe and damaged my tendon leaving me in a boot for a good bit. Then I got really sick with what seemed like pneumonia, bronchitis and laryngitis all stemming from…human rhino virus aka the common cold. I had a brief hospitalization and missed a truly huge milestone thanksgiving dinner, with the torch handed over to Tyler & Kelsey, at their new home. I was too sick to even shower and get dressed so I had to call and tell them, with tears flowing down my face, that I couldn’t come. And then call Jake the same thing. And, all the while, spending as much time possible with my dear friend, Andrea, and being strong for her as much as I could, while I was dying inside knowing she would be gone soon. And she was. We lost andrea on November 18, 2024. I still hear her and talk to her. I’m staring my 5th week of my cold. Due to being immosuppressed, this could go on for months longer. And, here comes the cherry on top. You know I adore my doggy, Peanut Butter. Saturday night, midnight, he keeps trying to get my attention to go downstairs. So I did. I thought he may be hungry and I’d feel horrible if he went to bed hungry. Well, nope. He was telling me he had an accident. So I am cleaning it up, at midnight. I sprayed Clorox bleach spray on the tile to clean it and got up for more paper towels, came back and slipped and went down hard. So to make a long story even longer, I broke my “shoulder”. I technically broke my humerus at the top, right under the “bulb” that sits in the shoulder socket. It is so extremely painful. I have 3 doctor/surgeon appointments today. And honestly, I’m not convinced there are not more fractures. We couldn’t straighten my arm for full X-rays so we decided to just focus on the most painful part.

That was a lot. So if you’re still with me, thank you.

Why am I telling you all of this?

Say a prayer. please for someone. Be kind to everyone you come across, you have no idea what anyone is dealing with at any given time - be the ray of hope. Not the push over the cliff.

And for all of those that have loved me through the last 12 years with this disease. Thank you. I love you and appreciate you.

As I am re-reading this, I must edit that Mike worked on thanksgiving and after offering to bring me to Tyler & Kelsey’s house, even if to just say hi. I just couldn’r do it. He did stop on his way home from work and bought turkey breast and all the side dishes and made us thanksgiving dinner at home, complete with a little pumpkin pie for me. So thank you, Michael."

Let's help make the holidays a little jollier for our dear Joey. Thank you for whatever you can contribute, large or small.