Hi. My name is Beth and I’m raising funds for my spouse, IAN “PREACH” LOVESETH. Ian and I dated in high school, went our separate ways and found each other some 40 yrs later and still madly in love. We have been married since 2013.
Ian is 73 yrs old, born in the San Francisco Bay Area. He attended St. Dunston elementary school in Millbrae. He attended Serra High School in San Mateo where he is ensconced in the Hall of Fame for Swimming and a special Award for Rugby.
Ian went on to the University of Southern California where he swam with that team winning 2nd place for 3 yrs and then winning the National Championship in 1974. He began his rugby career by playing in his junior year.
Ian then attended Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco where he excelled and moved into Criminal Defense. It was also at Hastings that Ian was recruited to play “club” Rugby. Ian’s legal career can speak for itself. He advocated for his clients both locally and nationally. He appeared in Appellate Courts, including an appearance before the US Supreme Court. He took on many clients that couldn’t afford high fees and during the 2006 banking crisis left many clients unable to pay him. He took on too many clients trying to make ends meet, ultimately causing a mental breakdown, checking himself into a mental hospital staving off suicidal thoughts. His father having committed suicide when Ian was about 21yrs old.
Ian's Rugby play occurred while practicing law. Arranging schedules to travel and play and then showing up in Court on Mondays bruised and battle weary.
His Rugby career began with play as Lock/#8 on the BATS (Bay Area Touring Side). He played for a variety of sides including the Pelicans Northern California All Star team; the Grizzlies Pacific Coast All Stars, the Cougars playing against England; the Poppies a west coast invitational All Star team; and the Eagles US National Team playing a tour in Australia. Rugby took Ian to England, Wales, Italy, Australia, Argentina, Canada and Russia. Ian and the team that travelled to Russia were actually used as a cover for a CIA operation which they found out years later.
In 2012, Ian and I were visiting my new granddaughter when he suffered a seizure and fell backwards suffering a Traumatic Brain Injury forcing him to retire much too early. At that time, Ian was uninsured and the bills drained my savings. The Brain Injury damaged the decision making area of brain and, among other things, short term memory loss. He exhibits Parkinsonism like tremors and more. It is suspected that because of the nature of Rugby concussions and the final blow in 2012 that Ian is suffering with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. Of course the final diagnosis of CTE cannot occur until after his death and a study of his brain. We are registered in a Brain Donation Program with Boston University, a leader in CTE research. We married a year later as Ian’s fear of abandonment continued to grow. Love and devotion to each other’s well being won!!
His memory and general well being have been in decline since then. He’s exhibiting dementia like behaviors more often. His Rugby cauliflower ears make it difficult and cost prohibitive to find hearing aids that work properly. We’ve tried 3 different types already to no avail. I’d like to take him for another fitting and will post a cost for custom hearing aids if that’s even a possibility.
in 2024 Ian began losing weight, having gone from approx 230 to his current weight of 155 lbs. getting winded easily and losing strength and balance. Ian has been diagnosed with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. There is no cure just meds that can prolong life. HUMANA has denied the medication 3 times bc of the cost. I believe it’s approximately $16,000 per month without insurance. Ridiculous.
In addition to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Ian is also suffering from Cachexia (a wasting away syndrome), Bradycardia, Major Depressive Disorder and, of course, the worsening brain injury.
ian has been assigned to a Home Health agency with a nurse now coming once a week. Physical Therapy starts next week as he falls or loses his balance almost daily. A walker and wheelchair have been recommended but are 100% out of pocket. Ian is (was) 6’6” so that doesn’t allow for any walker, it will have to accommodate his height.
Home Health and his doctors are requiring us to move from a second floor apartment to a first floor. I must also find something that is wheelchair accessible. An alarm was sounded regarding his having to step over tub wall to bathe. An apartment with walk in shower is what’s needed.
And then we have me, the spouse and caregiver, who has recently been diagnosed with Vasculitis, osteoporosis and other age related issues. I haven’t begun to think about the specifics of my care yet. If it makes a difference to anyone, although I worked the majority of my life, volunteer work is where I found my JOY. From volunteering in hospitals helping people with speech problems after accidents to helping elementary students with reading to being the Chair of a Citizen Advisory Group that got the EPA to clean polluted water in a top 100 Superfund Site which also has me on record speaking to a Kansas Legislative Committee and receiving a personal letter from the Director of the EPA thanking me for the advocacy and directing the immediate remediation of the Site.
CANT forget the furry companion that keeps Ian in a good mental place. Could we have a normal dog? NO WAY. Our 45 lb golden doodle, Ruby Rose, has Addisons Disease which means daily prednisone and monthly injections currently costing $125 per month. Because of her disease and testing, her yearly vet visit runs about $700. Apartments require extra deposits for pets adding to the expense of moving.
Bottom line. There is approximately $20,000 in medical debt already. He needs to be moved and there are expenses with application fees, movers, etc. I honestly don’t know what everything costs at this point but will update as I am given numbers for assistive devices.
as someone who has volunteered to help others, it makes it makes it even harder to ask for help. But here we are. Any help no matter what it might be would greatly appreciated.