Parkinson's Surgery

Friends and Family:

Asking for assistance is almost as difficult as undergoing surgery.  Perhaps the toughest part is in the realization that I can’t overcome a medical hardship without asking for the kindness of others.  I reach out to you, my friends and family, who are genuinely concerned about my well being yet may not be all that familiar with my personal struggles with Parkinson’s.

I have been suffering debilitating motor symptoms including tremors, rigidity, stiffness, slowed movement, and walking problems as a result of Early Onset Parkinson’s Disease for many years. During this time I have continued to work full time to provide for my son John's care and multiple therapies as he grows up with autism. 

Just recently, I have taken advantage of a small window of opportunity to undergo deep brain stimulation (DBS), a surgical procedure for Parkinson's patients that requires several steps, each with mounting medical expenses.  A battery-operated device is implanted in the chest (similar to a pacemaker) to deliver electrical stimulation to the areas of the brain that control movement. The hope is that ultimately, I can continue to be an active participant in John’s life.  

On June 19, 2018, the first surgery was successfully performed where a thin, insulated wire was inserted into my skull and implanted in the brain. On July 3, an implantable pulse generator (IPG) will be implanted in my chest. The IPG will then be programmed to block abnormal electrical signals and alleviate the Parkinson’s Disease motor symptoms. 

I have developed this GoFundMe Page to help offset some of these out-of-pocket expenses.

Please forward this email and link to anyone I might have forgotten.  Thank you so much for your generous donation.