I'm Debbie Bennett and I am doing this GoFundMe for a close friend of mine, Rachel Smith.

Rachel has been a good friend of mine for over 10 years now.

She is a strong Christian mother and a dedicated licensed day care provider.

Her 28-year-old son, Matthew, who has autism and was diagnosed with having Chiari Malformation in 2020. On February 16, 2021,

Matthew 24 at the time, went into the hospital for Chiari Decompression surgery. During the surgery he had complications and almost died. On March 23 he was admitted to the hospital again and they found that he had Ventriculitis.

Ventriculitis is an infection of the brains ventricular system, the network of fluid filled cavities within the brain. It’s a serious complication, often arising from other infections like, meningitis or related to devices like shunts or drains used in the brain. It can lead to severe neurological issues and even death. Because of Chiari Malformation, Matthew continually has major headaches. He also has three bulging discs in his neck along with weaknesses in his arms and legs.

Rachel herself has Lupus and Bronchiectasis, which can also be a side effect of Lupus. She was recently tested for Tachycardia and Sleep Apnea. Both can be complications of Lupus. As a result of the testing, she has been confirmed to have Sleep Apnea. Rachel completely stopped breathing 15 times in a single hour. This also causes irregular heart rhythm when she sleeps. She is now waiting for her insurance to approve her for a Sleep Apnea machine.

A week ago, we were trying to raise enough funds to have her cars air conditioning repaired. I am so happy to report that, because of the heart-felt and generous donations that we have received, her car air conditioning has been repaired and is working well. She can now drive her and Matthew to their doctors’ appointments without relying on someone else to take them. Rachel has some medical bills that she has accrued since she only has one part-time daycare child she cares for. Please help Rachel catch-up on her bills.

Your future donations will not only help Rachel with medical bills but will also help her with household expenses.

When you donate please share her code. This will help spread her story.

On behalf of Rachel and my self, thank you in advance for your love and support .

Debbie