Support Lisa in her healing journey

Dear friends, family, and kind strangers,

My name is Joe and I am writing this with a heavy heart and a plea for help.

My wife, Lisa, has been battling serious health challenges for years, and we are now humbly asking for your support.

If you know Lisa, you know she is one of the most selfless people - always giving her time and energy to others, spreading kindness, and sharing her radiant smile and laughter. But behind those smiles, she has been silently suffering for years.

Lisa’s health struggles began in infancy and have only worsened with time. She has endured over 15 surgeries, including a complete hysterectomy at a young age, and too many to count prolonged hospital stays, some lasting weeks or even months. Lisa has been unable to work for years due to her health issues. The reality is, Lisa is not able to live a full life. Each day is a struggle for her just to get through.

One of Lisa’s diagnoses is autonomic nerve failure, a condition that can cause severe and debilitating symptoms. She experiences heart complications, including a dangerously low heart rate - dropping to just 20 bpm - requiring a pacemaker. She also suffers from extremely low blood pressure, leading to frequent fainting, as well as intense nerve pain throughout her body.

These fainting episodes have resulted in over 10 concussions, some of them severe enough to cause Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). She has been hospitalized multiple times due to these injuries, with her longest stays lasting 2 and 4 months. Unfortunately, each concussion has only worsened her autonomic nerve failure, creating an ongoing and devastating cycle.

Lisa's numerous concussions has left her brain highly sensitive and vulnerable to injury. Now, even without a direct impact, sudden head movements - such as jerking forward and backward during car braking or nodding her head - can cause a concussion. In fact, she once sustained a concussion simply from sneezing hard!

Every day, Lisa suffers from excruciating migraines - pain that never truly goes away. On a good day, her pain is rated 7/10 on the pain scale, but most days are worse. Despite trying every migraine medication on the market including, but not limited to: Botox, Ajovy, Vyepti, Emgality, Ubrevly, Gabapentin and nerve blockers, the migraines persist. Her neurologist recommends using at least three of these medications simultaneously, but our insurance covers only one at a time, resulting in overwhelming out-of-pocket costs.

In addition to the migraines, Lisa has faced ongoing post-concussion symptoms for years. Symptoms including but not limited to:

• Sensitivity to light, noise, movement, and smell

• Nausea and vomiting

• Vision problems

• Fatigue and drowsiness

• Balance issues, loss of coordination

• Dizziness

• Muscle weakness

She describes feeling constantly seasick. Quite often she will go 3-4 days with no sleep due to the intensity of pain, nausea and dizziness. Simple tasks become monumental challenges due to memory issues, poor concentration, brain fog and confusion. Remembering basic things, and even performing simple tasks like adding basic numbers together can be a challenge.

Lisa’s cognitive issues and personality changes, including increased depression, anger, brain fog, fatigue and pain make her daily life incredibly difficult. Despite all of this, she fights through the pain, discomfort and uncertainty with incredible patience, strength and resilience.

Unfortunately, our insurance does not cover most of her medications or treatments, and we have been paying out of pocket for years. Depending on the month, our out-of-pocket expenses (just for medication), have ranged from $2500 to $7000. We’ve depleted our savings, maxed out our lines of credit, and completely exhausted our insurance coverage. The financial strain has become insurmountable.

For years, Lisa’s father has been offering substantial financial support to help cover her healthcare expenses. However, as these costs continue to rise, we now need to seek additional assistance. Since her father is retired, one person can only contribute so much.

Now, having exhausted therapies / treatments and doctors under the Alberta healthcare system, Lisa now needs specialized therapies not covered by Alberta Health.

To give Lisa a chance at improving her quality of life, she needs different kinds of therapies multiple times a week. These treatments include:

• Cognitive therapy

• Hyperbaric chamber therapy

• Osteopathy / physiotherapy / Occupational therapy

• Vestibular therapy

• Neuro-visual rehabilitation

• Functional Medicine / Preventative approach

• Physical therapy

• Mental and behavioural therapy (Neuropsychologist)

• Acupuncture / massage therapy and so much more.

If we raise enough funds, we also hope to access advanced care from specialists at a concussion clinic in the United States and / or specialists in Toronto and Vancouver.

We are aiming to raise at least $25,000 to help cover Lisa’s ongoing medical costs. Every donation, no matter the amount, will make a difference in Lisa’s life and our ability to provide her with the care she needs.

If you are unable to donate, please consider sharing this campaign with others who may be able to help. Your support means the world to us.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your generosity, love and compassion.

With love and gratitude.