Show Nick some awesome ALOHA!

As some of you know, my good friend Nick Booth contracted rat lungworm sometime last July.  For those of you who don't live in Hawaii, you've probably never even heard of it. "Rat lungworm" (angiostrongyliasis) is an infection that is contracted by the ingestion of parasitic larvae that are carried to the central nervous system via the blood where they are the most common cause of meningitis. In cases with a heavy load of parasites the infection can be so severe it can cause permanent nerve damage or death. Unfortunately, Nick is one of those cases. For some reason, the medical community is still surprisingly ignorant to this infection despite the rapid increase in cases over the past 5 years. By the time the doctors realized what it was, his body was riddled with the little bastards. Even after the parasites were gone, the damage had already been done. The areas affected include his legs, back and arms.

I won't go into the depressing details, because I know Nick wouldn't want me to. He's a modest guy and although he's always there to lend a helping hand for others, you'll never find him asking for it himself. I barely even convinced him to let me make this. But if you're interested in learning about the struggles him and many others are going through, please do some research. I truly can't fathom having to suffer from such intense nerve damage on a daily basis. And he does so without complaint, somehow managing to have a positive attitude through it all. This dude's strength and resilience is mind-blowing to me. I find myself inspired and humbled by him every day.  

My goal in making this is to raise money to help pay for Nick's physical therapy and heaping piles of pain medications.  As of right now there is no cure for the damage done, there's only treating the symptoms left behind. And I must say, the treatments are less than desirable and don't offer a lot of relief.  But something is better than nothing. After almost a year, the insurance for his PT has run out and that, along with the meds, are the only things that actually help to make life bearable. 
 
Please support this amazing person in any way that you can. If you can't spare twenty bucks, then at least share this page. My hope aside from assisting financially is to take advantage of the most incredible resource we have: the internet. Lets get the word out. Who knows who might read it, and what inspiration that might spark. Maybe there's research out there that we aren't even aware of yet.  Maybe there is something out there that can offer even a little relief.  I have to believe there is!

Mahalo nui loa <3