Healing Fund

Hello ... my name is John.  I'm a 70 year old man living with multiple medical barriers.  It is my hope and prayer that you will take a few moments and read about my cause.  If you are able to donate, wonderful; if you're not able to donate, please consider sharing this on your time line with friends and family.  Blessings  

In May of 2016 I was diagnosed with a rare Autoimmune Neurological disease known as Myasthenia Gravis, which is a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease that causes weakness in the skeletal muscles, which are responsible for breathing and moving parts of the body, including the arms and legs.  I also struggle with a number of other medical issues such as  Prostate Cancer, Diabetes and Osteoarthritis to name a few. 

For more information about Myasthenia Gravis please visit one of the two sites listed: Canadian Site  http://www.mgcanada.org/ or American Site http://myasthenia.org/ 

After more than two years of treatment my condition is about as stable as they are able to get me.  My breathing is such that I must be on, what is known as a BiPAP, which is a type of ventilator—a device that helps my breathing.  I have to use the BiPAP on average of 3 to 4 times per day and all night long.  I get around with mobility aids such as an indoor walker, an outdoor walker and a mobility scooter.  I am, fortunately, still able to drive.  I've  had a number of falls due to balance issues.   I use a number of medications to control my condition and have to go to hospital every 28 days for Intravenous Immune Globulin treatments.  IVIG is sterile solution of concentrated antibodies extracted from healthy people that is administered directly into a vein and used to treat disorders of the immune system or to boost the immune response to serious illness. 

Here's why I'm raising funds:

Currently my son lives with me and is able to do most of the work around the house.  I consider him to be my primary care giver and he does a great job of it.  Having said that, he has a number of medical issues of his own and will be moving to Victoria, BC, when a unit becomes available.  Victoria is about a 2 hour drive from here.  When he moves, I will not be able to afford to live on my own as we rent the house together and the owners want to sell.  I am not eligible for geared to income living.  I live on a limited income and rental units are far to expensive.  It had been suggested that I buy a small motor home or travel trailer as my permanent home.  The weather in this area lends itself to year round living in one of these units.  Pad rental would be about 1/2 of what I pay now in rent.  Because of this disease, I am not allowed to travel so the unit would have to be livable but not necessarily drivable (it could be towed to a trailer park for a minimal cost).   I have been assured by my doctors that home care would be available to me while living in the unit.

I have done my due diligence and seen many suitable 'used' units for a reasonable price.   At first glance, I'm sure many people would consider my request to be purely selfish and I guess it is.  Emotional stress is the #1 trigger leading  to a myasthenic crisis, which has put me in the Intensive Care Unit on 5 occasions now and my hope and prayer is that by having my own place to live I would have the security of owning my own accommodation and not be at the mercy of others.  By this I mean .. increase in rents or the selling of rental homes which has happened to me on more than one occasion.  By owning my own unit, it will help to relieve stress while helping with the healing of body, mind and spirit.

Thank you in advance for your consideration in donating to my cause. 
Blessings