Support Marie Lucius

Support Marie Lucius

At the end of 2020, I suddenly started having issues with my balance and legs becoming weak and giving way, unexpectedly causing me to fall. Throughout the next two-month period these symptoms seemed to get worse the more active I was. At the beginning of 2021, my whole family came down with COVID. All of my neurological symptoms started to spiral out of control. I was becoming weaker with less activity. My primary physician sent me to a neurologist, trying to figure out what was the root cause. Working and living life as well as being a mother to three small children was becoming more difficult day by day.

My symptoms were progressively getting worse. I began having trouble walking and completing simple tasks, such as making a meal, brushing my hair, getting dressed, going up and down my stairs, and folding laundry. My muscles would ache and burn with these activities. As summer approached, I started to notice issues with my vision. I began experiencing blurred and double vision which limited my ability to drive. Then things had progressed to the point to where I was having intermittent slurred speech where others could not understand what I was saying, as well as difficulties swallowing.

In 2023, I finally found a neuromuscular specialist who recognized my symptoms and diagnosed me with myasthenia gravis. Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a chronic autoimmune disorder in which antibodies destroy the communication between nerves and muscle, resulting in weakness of the skeletal muscles. Myasthenia gravis affects the voluntary muscles of the body, especially those that control the eyes, mouth, throat and limbs.

I learned that I have most likely been living with this disease for the last decade. My physician immediately started me on a very well-known medication for MG. This did help initially, but as time went on it has become much less effective. I am now having issues with my respiratory system. My physicians and I have been fighting the insurance company for almost a year to approve a stronger treatment to avoid hospitalization. We have been left with constant denials. Without a stronger treatment, some of my worst fears have come true. Since I am unable to work, I have lost my career and have been in the hospital twice in the last month with breathing difficulties in early crisis.

In researching additional treatment options, my doctor told me that Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) could be an alternative treatment option to help improve my symptoms. I’ve learned that HBOT has been extremely successful in treating people who suffer from autoimmune conditions, including Myasthenia gravis. HBOT acts as an anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal agent. It has been shown to reduce pain significantly, alleviate sleep dysfunction, and reduce cognitive impairment. It also decreases inflammation and swelling, increases energy, and increases the body’s white blood cell activity, boosting the immune system and promoting healing.

I learned that there is a non-profit facility in Northwest Ohio that I can go to called Sara’s Garden. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for my situation is only $150 per treatment at Sara’s Garden (as opposed to $1,500-2,500 per treatment at a hospital). Unfortunately, in the United States insurance companies do not recognize HBOT as being therapeutic for the treatment of these conditions, and will therefore not cover the cost of the treatments. Since my plan is to receive at least 40 HBOT treatments that cost adds up quickly. I could really use your help!

If you could assist me with the cost (or even just part of the cost) of a single $150 treatment it would help reduce my overall expenses greatly. 100% of the funds received will go into an account in my name and will be used for my 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 my name on a sheet of paper accompanying the check. You can also donate online via credit card by clicking on the DONATE NOW button below.

Your love and support will not go unnoticed or unappreciated!

Sincerely,
Marie Lucius

Sara’s Garden is a 501(c)(3) organization. Your charitable contribution is tax deductible under 501(c)(3) of the IRS code, to the extent allowed by law. A receipt will be sent to you after your pledge has been received to use for tax purposes.

Support Cove Hess

Support Cove Hess

On the morning of April 1st, we woke to our youngest son terribly sick in his bassinet. He was 5 months old at this time. We jumped in the car and headed to the hospital. His breathing stopped in the car causing his heart to stop. We started CPR in the car and made it to the hospital where ER staff took over. Seven rounds of CPR later (the last round doctors normally do before “calling it”) Cove’s heart began to beat again. God had truly blessed us with our son coming back to us.

We were ushered into the room to see our miracle child. He was surrounded by caring and concerned ER staff. We both held his hand and stood by his side singing and talking with him. We stayed in the hospital two weeks working with doctors and nurses to figure out the best plan for Cove. At this point in his journey, he was retaining fluids making him 40 pounds at 5 months old. His lungs were struggling with all this extra fluid and pressure. He was ventilated but was still showing that he wanted to breath over the vent. This was something we took as a sign that he was not done fighting.

We were pulled into a room and told the worst news possible that only his brain stem was untouched by damage, leaving our son very disabled. It was presumed that his future would be very dim. Our faith kept us moving forward. The doctors pushed for hospice care for our son because his kidney and liver levels were poor, he was full of extra fluid, and his brain had been terribly damaged. We took a moment to pause and pray and ended up choosing to seek dialysis for Cove.

We felt in our hearts we were not done letting Cove fight. His extra fluid was gone with-in two weeks of dialysis and his liver and kidney levels returned to normal! Cove’s breathing tube was removed after about a month, and he was able to breathe on his own! We know that Cove has a long, difficult journey ahead of him, so we continue to search for every possible treatment option available in order to give him the greatest opportunity for a bright and independent future.

We discovered Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) and learned that it has been extremely successful in treating people who suffer from Traumatic Brain Injury. In many cases, it has improved the client’s fine and gross motor skills, speech, thinking (cognition), memory, physical healing, etc. We started taking Cove for HBOT treatment at a center in Michigan.

Cove is now 9 months old and still on a long road to recovery. He’s learning how to lift his head on his own and loves moving his arms around however he can. He can’t move much but loves to look side to side and snuggle. He eats from a feeding tube but with speech therapy and practice we’re hoping that he’ll be able to eat in the future. On occasion we get a sweet smile and babble. This is all after just 1 round of 40 hyperbaric oxygen treatments!

We’ve decided to let Cove show us what he wants and not let doctors set limits for him. He already does so much more than we were told was possible. He’s a lucky little boy who is surrounded by love and faith. His future will be bright. We would love to move forward with more oxygen treatments because Cove is responding so well to it. We’ve recently learned that there is a non-profit facility even closer to us right here in Northwest Ohio that we can go to called Sara’s Garden that specializes in working with clients with traumatic brain injuries.

Unfortunately, in the United States insurance companies do not recognize HBOT as being therapeutic for the treatment of TBI and therefore will not cover the cost for treatments. That is why we could really use your help. HBOT for TBI is only $100 per hour at Sara’s Garden. 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 HBOT treatment it would help reduce our overall expenses greatly. 100% of the funds received go into an account in Cove’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 Cove’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 link below.

Thank you so much for considering the support of Cove’s treatments at Sara’s Garden.

Trenton & Victoria Hess

Sara’s Garden is a 501(c)(3) organization. Your charitable contribution is tax deductible under 501(c)(3) of the IRS code, to the extent allowed by law. A receipt will be sent to you after your pledge has been received to use for tax purposes.