Donativo protegido
Hi my name is Leanne,
The photo is of me and my husband/best friend Michael. Looking at the photo, there doesn’t appear to be anything wrong with Michael, but behind the eyes he faces a daily struggle of pain and despair.
During the past twelve years I have watched Michael suffer the effects of three debilitating breakdowns. Depression is hurtful, violent and destructive; all the things that are not who Michael is. It is what goes on in his mind when he is faced with these challenges that are the scariest.
On one occasion, the depression became severe and his moods sullen and worrying. It reached a point where I considered having him admitted to hospital; not only for his safety, but mine as well. Michael was finally diagnosed with clinical depression in 2011.
Michael had and still has a kind and generous nature, full of optimism. But his deteriorating mental and physical health conditions are turning him into someone losing hope.
Apart from his depression, Michael has undergone hours of surgery; resulting in hundreds of stitches from the removal of skin cancers (BCC and SCC) and melanomas. Michael is also receiving treatment for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.
He also has a condition called severe benign essential tremors, diagnosed by a Neurologist (Brain Specialist) at Townsville Neurosciences. Severe benign essential tremors is a neurological disorder that causes involuntary shaking or trembling of particular parts of the body. In Michael’s case it is his head and hands. There are occasions where he is unable to use a knife and fork, which he substitutes for a spoon; and using a cup or glass without a straw is something he long gave up on.
In early 2018 Michael was diagnosed with non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy. The condition was revealed during a stress echocardiography and subsequent testing and MRI at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne. The cardiologists spoke with Michael about treatment that includes an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD).
Michael’s heart has a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of 20%. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is the measurement of how much blood is being pumped out of the left ventricle of the heart (the main pumping chamber) with each contraction. A normal ejection fraction is between 55% and 70%. An LVEF of less than 35% means you have a greater risk of life-threatening irregular heartbeats that can cause sudden cardiac arrest/death.
Michael’s chronic illness and disability has had a huge financial and social impact on our lives. We have been unable to make appointments locally, in Melbourne, or pay for tests that require a patient contribution.
I find it difficult to make decisions between our healthcare and basic living expenses. At times these decisions have caused less than optimal outcomes. We live from pension to pension and rely on the sale of personal items and family contributions/loans to help meet monthly outgoings.
There have been instances where we have had to prioritise essential treatment options and or medications based on our ability to pay. This meant some prescriptions were not filled and as a consequence, compliance with medication regimes was compromised.
Because of his heart condition, Michael becomes exhausted after minimal work or exercise and has been advised not to drive, or remain on his own for long periods of time.
Please have faith in me when I say that Michael’s conditions do not define who he is, only what he has. Having to constantly cope with so many health concerns is sometimes hard for him to deal with and occasionally it makes him wonder why he should keep going. But I know with my love and your help, we can make his future all that much brighter.
Hopefully the above goes some of the way towards explaining why I am asking; not begging for assistance. We are not seeking funds to support nonessentials; what we ask for is your support. Your kindness will allow us the financial ability to attend medical appointments, as well as seek medical advice that will hopefully go some of the way in alleviating Michael’s conditions.
Sincerely,
Leanne Arthur
The photo is of me and my husband/best friend Michael. Looking at the photo, there doesn’t appear to be anything wrong with Michael, but behind the eyes he faces a daily struggle of pain and despair.
During the past twelve years I have watched Michael suffer the effects of three debilitating breakdowns. Depression is hurtful, violent and destructive; all the things that are not who Michael is. It is what goes on in his mind when he is faced with these challenges that are the scariest.
On one occasion, the depression became severe and his moods sullen and worrying. It reached a point where I considered having him admitted to hospital; not only for his safety, but mine as well. Michael was finally diagnosed with clinical depression in 2011.
Michael had and still has a kind and generous nature, full of optimism. But his deteriorating mental and physical health conditions are turning him into someone losing hope.
Apart from his depression, Michael has undergone hours of surgery; resulting in hundreds of stitches from the removal of skin cancers (BCC and SCC) and melanomas. Michael is also receiving treatment for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.
He also has a condition called severe benign essential tremors, diagnosed by a Neurologist (Brain Specialist) at Townsville Neurosciences. Severe benign essential tremors is a neurological disorder that causes involuntary shaking or trembling of particular parts of the body. In Michael’s case it is his head and hands. There are occasions where he is unable to use a knife and fork, which he substitutes for a spoon; and using a cup or glass without a straw is something he long gave up on.
In early 2018 Michael was diagnosed with non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy. The condition was revealed during a stress echocardiography and subsequent testing and MRI at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne. The cardiologists spoke with Michael about treatment that includes an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD).
Michael’s heart has a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of 20%. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is the measurement of how much blood is being pumped out of the left ventricle of the heart (the main pumping chamber) with each contraction. A normal ejection fraction is between 55% and 70%. An LVEF of less than 35% means you have a greater risk of life-threatening irregular heartbeats that can cause sudden cardiac arrest/death.
Michael’s chronic illness and disability has had a huge financial and social impact on our lives. We have been unable to make appointments locally, in Melbourne, or pay for tests that require a patient contribution.
I find it difficult to make decisions between our healthcare and basic living expenses. At times these decisions have caused less than optimal outcomes. We live from pension to pension and rely on the sale of personal items and family contributions/loans to help meet monthly outgoings.
There have been instances where we have had to prioritise essential treatment options and or medications based on our ability to pay. This meant some prescriptions were not filled and as a consequence, compliance with medication regimes was compromised.
Because of his heart condition, Michael becomes exhausted after minimal work or exercise and has been advised not to drive, or remain on his own for long periods of time.
Please have faith in me when I say that Michael’s conditions do not define who he is, only what he has. Having to constantly cope with so many health concerns is sometimes hard for him to deal with and occasionally it makes him wonder why he should keep going. But I know with my love and your help, we can make his future all that much brighter.
Hopefully the above goes some of the way towards explaining why I am asking; not begging for assistance. We are not seeking funds to support nonessentials; what we ask for is your support. Your kindness will allow us the financial ability to attend medical appointments, as well as seek medical advice that will hopefully go some of the way in alleviating Michael’s conditions.
Sincerely,
Leanne Arthur
Organizador
Leanne Arthur
Organizador
Metung, VIC