We're trying to raise funds to help Debbie Finazzi after a 3-month health battle that unfortunately is not over. In May, Debbie started feeling funny and went to the Hoopeston ER, scared that she had possibly had a stroke. She couldn't hold her head up, she was slurring her words, she couldn't swallow or drink, she was exhausted, felt like she couldn't breathe, and could barely walk. Tests showed she did not have a stroke, and she was sent home.

Over the next several days, she visited her primary doctor and made multiple trips to the ER at Carle in Champaign. Every time, they would focus on one symptom rather than look at them as a whole, run a test, and send her back home. Finally, they admitted her, did a couple of scopes, and discharged her for home. It was a nightmare. After discharge, she was home for 24 hours and did not get one sip of water down the entire time. She still couldn't hold her head up or speak normally.

They took her back to the hospital again. They seemed to take things a little more seriously, and she was again admitted. It took several days for them to come up with a diagnosis through blood work. They started an IV medication to treat what was diagnosed. As it turns out, 10% of people who receive this medication have a stroke, and Debbie fell into that percentage of people.

Debbie had 3 strokes over 24 hours. She had to be placed on a ventilator as she was no longer protecting her airway. A few days later another test revealed the first diagnosis was false. A spinal tap led to a firm diagnosis of Myasthenia Gravis, which is an autoimmune disease that attacks your nerves and muscles, weakening them. All of the symptoms she was experiencing checked every single box of being common symptoms of severe Myasthenia Gravis. It is not curable, so Debbie will continue to battle it but it can be managed with medications.

Unfortunately, everything is much worse than trying to recover from the debilitating symptoms of Myasthenia Gravis because now she suffers devastating effects from the strokes. In the hospital, she was not able to speak nor move her left side. Debbie spent the last 2 months in the hospital. She was given a trach because she was on the ventilator for quite a while. But slowly she started improving!!

Debbie improved enough to be moved to the rehabilitation floor. She worked really hard for 3 weeks to regain as much strength and movement as she could. She also worked with speech therapy. She is now able to walk a short distance, and she can move her left arm. She still is unable to work or grip her left hand, although she can move it. She was finally well enough that she was able to come home last week!!

Debbie needs A LOT of help around the clock. She also came home with a feeding tube because she is still unable to swallow. There are a lot of supplies needed that aren't covered by insurance. She also needs several accommodations to her home that insurance will not cover. One of the big items she needs is a chair lift installed for the stairs leading to her upper apartment. Tom and Bill spent 2 months driving back and forth to Champaign, staying overnight a couple days at a time, which was very expensive, so some bills have also fallen behind. Nurses and various therapists come to her home during the week to work with her, but she is also going to have to go to outpatient therapy 3 times per week in Champaign, which is an hour from home.

Debbie has been the glue in her family. She's always been active, on the go, and very independent. We are very lucky and thankful that she is alive right now and has improved so much! She still has a long way to go, though. We want her to get back to being as much of the person she has always been as possible! Debbie grew up in the Alvin/Rossville area and has spent her life here. I've seen how small towns rise to the occasion and take care of their own! Debbie REALLY does need this help.

As Debbie's battle will be ongoing for a while and new obstacles seem to pop up daily, it's possible we will have to do this again in the future, but right now we are focusing on the immediate needs as we can. Thank you so much for reading and for helping!

The last pictures are Debbie before the illness and the strokes! She wants to be that person again!