Support George's medical and Patty's caregivers journey.

My name is Grace Lyman and my aunt and uncle were traveling aboard in Italy. On day 6 of being in Italy, my uncle George became very sick and went to the hospital, essentially on "death's doorsteps" and was told to have very little hope for the best outcome. He has been in ICU for three weeks and is finally beginning to make some progress towards overcoming his many obstacles that have presented themselves in the course of his illness.

Patty is a freshly retired teacher of 40 years in public education. She devoted her 36 years caring for many fabulous students in Charleston County and 4 others in Ohio and has made many lasting impacts on these students and their families. To know Patty, is to be extremely loved and cared for, and that she would do anything for anyone. We are hoping that people are willing to return that same help to her.

Patty and George embarked on what was supposed to be a three week Italian vacation, to celebrate her retirement and achievements. On day 6, while visiting Italian family, George fell very ill and was convinced to go to the hospital. He was extremely dehydrated, vomiting, and was unable to catch his breath or get enough oxygen to feel comfortable. Upon being admitted, George was immediately sedated and placed on the ventilator. The doctors informed Patty that he had some type of infection, we later learned was pneumonia, with both lungs filled with fluids. His kidney's were shutting down and required/still require dialysis. They also discovered that he has too much lactic acid in his organs and body and had to begin removing that by giving two blood transfusions. The first two weeks, they had no real diagnosis and he was in and out of sedation and fully relying on the ventilator to breath. Around week two, they were able to take him off the ventilator. About a day and half after being removed, he released and had to be placed back on there and fully sedated.

In week three, while George was back to being fully sedated, doctors were able to give Patty a diagnosis for George of Guillain-Barre Syndrome. This is an extremely rare condition that is triggered by an infection and presents itself with paralysis of many body parts and he has extremely limited of his limbs. Thankfully, this diagnosis has allowed for the doctors to come up with his treatment plan, where he receives blood plasma transfusions every other day. Since they have begun these, doctors and nurses have noticed that he is beginning to gain more movement and control over his right side of his body.

While this illness would be heartbreaking, extremely difficult, and challenging anywhere, being out of the country, in Italy where neither of them speak Italian, and therefore this makes it very stressful communicating with the doctors and trying to find the best solutions to all his health challenges quickly.

We are wanting to help Patty and George both with medical bills that they are incurring. We also hope that this money will help when George is able to be transported back to the states, with the cost of transporting a medically fragile individual. Patty and her brother, Jim, are both still out of the states in Italy with George and thankfully have been staying with family, but we also hope that these funds will help with any food cost, transportation cost of going to the hospital daily, and any basic needs while out of the country. The Italian family has been so gracious and has been housing and supporting Patty, George, and Jim by transporting them 40 minutes each way to the hospital every day, sometimes twice a day. Thank you for considering our family!The money raised from here will go towards medical bills, transportation cost, off-setting out of country stay bills, food cost.

It will cost a great deal to hire a nurse to travel back, if and when George is cleared to head back. He is no where close or near that but it will be a lot. These will also help with any unforeseen cost that come with being in another country for way longer than anticipated. They were supposed to return state side July 1st.