As many of you are aware, Butch went from being in good health to barely functioning in a matter of weeks. Just this past November, Butch received a clean bill of health from his doctor. His well check was normal. He was normal. There were no signs of any problems or concerns. Butch has always been a very active, busy person that never wanted to just sit still.

Everything changed a month later. From mid-December to mid-February, he lost 40 pounds. On February 24, 2023 he started losing his balance, having tremors, experiencing confusion and delusions and sleeping almost constantly. The doctors are all puzzled as to what is causing the rapid changes, and have no explanation as to what or why this is happening so fast. It is so hard to watch someone fail so quickly with no reason. We’ve been married going on 50 years in June and he is a totally different person and now, for his safety, needs constant supervision.

While inconclusive, all of the tests Butch has had are pointing to Lewy body dementia. Lewy body dementia is the second most common type of progressive dementia after Alzheimer’s disease. Protein deposits, called Lewy bodies, develop in nerve cells in the brain regions involved in thinking, memory and movement (motor control). Lewy body dementia causes a progressive decline in mental abilities. People with Lewy body dementia might have visual hallucinations and changes in alertness and attention. Other effects include Parkinson’s disease signs and symptoms such as rigid muscles, slow movement, walking difficulty and tremors.

We were recently reminded about Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) and learned that it has been successful in treating people who suffer from dementia. Inside a pressurized hyperbaric chamber the body begins to receive a healing dose of oxygen through the body’s fluids and plasma even if the blood vessel system to the needed tissue is compromised. When oxygen dissolves in the blood stream, it travels wherever the blood travels, effectively saturating all tissues. The delivery of oxygen using pressure does not require the use of red blood cells. As pressure increases, more oxygen is pushed into the cells and has been shown to reduce cognitive impairment.

Unfortunately, in the U.S. insurance companies do not recognize HBOT as being therapeutic for treatment of many conditions for which it is beneficial, including dementia, and will therefore not cover the cost of the treatments. That is why we could really use your help. We would like to take Butch to Sara’s Garden for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. HBOT for his condition is only $100 per treatment at Sara’s Garden (as opposed to $1,500-2,500 per treatment at a hospital). However, since our plan is for him to receive at least 40 HBOT treatments that cost adds up quickly.

If you could assist us with the cost (or even just part of the cost) of a single $100 treatment it would help reduce our overall expenses greatly. 100% of the funds received will go into an account in Butch’s name and will be used for his treatments. Any contribution made would be considered a tax-deductible donation as Sara’s Garden is a 501(c)(3) non-profit facility. Checks can be made out to Sara’s Garden with Butch’s name on a sheet of paper accompanying the check. Please do NOT write his name directly on the check. You can also donate online via credit card by clicking on the DONATE NOW button below.

Thank you so much for considering to support Butch’s treatments at Sara’s Garden!

Butch & Vicki Lynn Kline