Hi everyone,

My name is Carlie, and my family and I are asking for help. I was recently diagnosed with Lyme disease and coinfections. This has flipped mine and my family’s lives upside down. Before getting sick I was very active in every way, and now I am fully disabled and need a caretaker most days. I am being seen by a great doctor who has experience treating these infections but unfortunately this is far from inexpensive and we simply cannot afford this. 

I want to share a little of our family’s story for anyone who is interested but you are welcome to scroll to the bottom for more of a breakdown in regards to expenses, and other donation options. If you can’t donate please share as that is also deeply appreciated. Thank you to each of you.

Hi I am Carlie. I’m a mom to three incredible boys, Quin (17), Alister (10), and Theo (7), and I’m married to an amazing man, Jared, who has carried far more than anyone should have to. Before I got sick, I was very active, deeply involved in helping others, and full of purpose.

I ran a small business guiding people through healing from trauma. I volunteered with nonprofits. I was building a ministry centered around healing through music. I was also in school, first pursuing psychology and later ministry. Serving others has always been part of who I am. Losing the ability to do those things has been one of the hardest parts of this journey.

Jared and I have both been deeply involved in our church and community. Jared serves on the worship team, co-leads a Wednesday night Bible study, and volunteers with two ministries. Together, we were also serving with Hadassah’s Hope, a ministry close to our hearts. As my health has continued to decline, we’ve had to pause much of that service—not because the desire isn’t there, but because my body simply can’t keep up.

About a year ago, I woke up sick and just haven’t gotten better. Since then, my health has continued to decline. With every major flare, my baseline drops, and I lose more of what I used to be able to do. I’ve been officially diagnosed with Lyme disease, Bartonella, and several other related conditions. I live with severe chronic pain, crushing fatigue, constant malaise, seizures, and episodes where I pass out.

Most days, I am housebound because nearly everything causes a flare. I rely on forearm crutches or a wheelchair most of the time. Even basic things like showering can be exhausting. We had to cancel a planned Christmas trip to Indiana because we were afraid I might end up hospitalized again. I share this to give context of the extent of how living with these diagnoses has impacted our family.

Jared is now not only our sole financial provider, but also my caretaker. I see the toll this takes on him, and I know how deeply this has affected Quin, Alister, and Theo. One of my greatest fears is that I’m seeing symptoms in my boys that look like Lyme disease or coinfections. We cannot afford to take them to a Lyme-literate doctor for proper testing or treatment, and I desperately want to protect their quality of life and keep them from becoming as sick as I am.

We’ve already spent over $3,500 on medical expenses, and I haven’t even begun full treatment yet. My mother-in-law has been an incredible blessing and has covered most of my medical costs so far. My mom has also paid for one of my appointments. We are deeply grateful for them. But this is a huge financial burden, and it’s far too much for one or two people to carry alone.

This season has shown us just how true it is that healing takes a village—and right now, we need help.

I’m sharing this because I still have hope. When I was at my lowest and felt completely broken, I cried out to God and had a life-changing encounter with Jesus. My hope in Christ is what carries me through each day, even while I’m still sick. I want to heal—not just for myself, but so I can be present for my family and someday return to serving others in the ways we love.

If you feel led to help in any way, whether through giving, sharing, or praying, it truly means more than I can put into words.

If you prefer to avoid GoFundMe fees, donations can also be sent directly:

Cash App: $CarlieJoy6988

Venmo: @CarlieJoy6988

Thank you for taking the time to read our story and for being part of our village.

How the Funds Will Be Used

I do not have health insurance. Now that I have been diagnosed with Lyme disease, it is considered a preexisting condition, which makes obtaining meaningful insurance coverage extremely difficult. My doctor is a Lyme-literate medical doctor (LLMD), and like most LLMDs, he does not accept insurance. Even if I were insured, many of the treatments, testing, and medications required for complex Lyme disease and coinfections are not covered.

Funds raised will go directly toward medically necessary care, including:

-Doctor appointments for me

-Testing for me and follow up testing as treatment progresses

-Medications, supplements, and supportive therapies, Advanced and supportive therapies as needed,

-Children’s care appointments, testing, and future treatments.

-Funds will also provide breathing room for unexpected costs, including medication increases, rate increases, additional testing, changes in care as my health continues to decline, as well as standard payment processing fees deducted by GoFundMe, so that the full cost of care is not shifted back onto our family.

Fundraising Goal

Our goal is $26,000.

This amount reflects conservative, real-world medical costs and includes a small buffer to account for GoFundMe’s standard processing fees, so the funds raised can fully go toward the care outlined above rather than being reduced by fees.