Help Keri Kick Lyme Disease!
Donation protected
Hello Everyone!
My name is Keri, and our family has made the decision to start a GoFundMe page to help me fight my battle with chronic Lyme disease. We covet your prayers for my healing, and are seeking funds to pursue an intense 7 month IV antibiotic treatment in hopes of the Lord using this to heal me and allow me to lead a symptom-free, normal life. Dr. Jemsek's staff told us that with his treatment plan, I have an 85% chance of being symptom-free!
Thank you for joining me in my journey to kick Lyme! My family and I are grateful for His provision through each and every one of you. Whether your contribution is $5 or more than $100, we are so humbled by your love and support.
For a little insight into Lyme, please scroll to the bottom of this page, or click here for more expanded details.
...............................................................
Quick Overview:
• Diagnosed with Lyme in 2015
• Suffered with Lyme symptoms for 18+ years
• Constant Fatigue and Pain
• Unable to Take Care of Family Like I Used to
• Must Rest 3-6 Hours During Day
• Very Expensive Treatment
• Insurance Does Not Cover the 7 Months of Treatment
• Additional Expenses for Travel, etc
NOTE: Gifts given through "GoFundMe" are subject to 3% in fees. If it is preferable for you to write a check, rather than give online here, checks can be written and mailed to:
Keri and Dave Olsen - 819 S Federal HWY, STE 300 - Stuart, FL 34994
...............................................................
M Y S T O R Y
How I contracted Lyme:
• I do not know exactly when I contracted Lyme disease , but doctors tell me I've had it for close to 30 years.
• I do not remember being bitten by the insect that gave me the Borrelia bacteria that causes Lyme disease.
• I am one of the 50% of Lyme patients who did not get a bull's eye rash.
• The Lyme Borrelia bacteria was dormant in my body for 10 years without any symptoms, then during my third pregnancy the symptoms began. This is typical, a "stressor" on the body either physical or mental can awaken the Lyme Borrelia "giant."
When I was Diagnosed:
For the past 18+ years I've struggled with headaches, gut issues, stiff neck, plus neck, shoulder, and hand pain, insomnia, leg numbness, and fatigue. I went to many doctors but no one gave me correct diagnosis and treatment. I never gave up pursuing answers but as a stay at home mom with 5 kids who felt terrible all of the time, that was an uphill battle.
In September 2015, my symptoms got much worse . I started losing mobility. My knees were filled with fluid and I was in a wheelchair for 3 months plus also dealing with all my "normal" agonizing symptoms. It was a nightmare that I could not escape. This was very challenging both physically and emotionally, being a "strong" person that didn’t usually ask for help, I had to ask for help. We had the blessing of friends and family stepping up to bring us meals, go grocery shopping, and drive our kids around. That was a huge blessing!
My orthopedic doctor couldn’t figure out why my knees were so swollen with fluid. He was stumped! He tested the synovial fluid in my knees for lots of rare things without any answers. Then, he actually scheduled me for knee surgery, hoping that removing the synovial sac would help. That was another low point for me!
A week before the knee surgery, God used my nephew’s recent diagnosis of Lyme to spark me to ask the orthopedic doctor to test me for Lyme disease.
That same week as we were awaiting the Lyme results, I had a team of missionaries gather around me to pray for me to have a crystal clear diagnosis (Lyme testing only has a 30% accuracy rate... lots of false negatives) and that very next day God have me the crystal clear diagnosis for my years of suffering: chronic Lyme disease & a co-infections called Mycoplasma and Candida.
I was so thankful and amazed that I had a diagnosis! The knee surgery was cancelled! I felt validated that the years of pain and suffering were real and I was not a crazy person.
My test results were very unique and very "positive" with all 10 bands positive for Lyme (5 bands are considered a positive result). I was referred to an infectious disease doctor. I saw several infectious doctors in our area that told me that since I looked normal, my symptoms were “all in my head” and that chronic Lyme did not exist.
These local infectious disease doctors were condescending and inaccurate but it’s very typical for Lyme patients to hear this from the modern medical community. Of course, I knew they were wrong. I had the lab results and symptoms of chronic Lyme disease.
Thankfully, the Lord led me to Dr. Kirti Kalidas & Dr. Amar Kalidas, father and son Lyme specialists, in Orlando, who are both Medical and Naturopathic doctors. They are wonderful and helped me a lot for 3 years but since I have not been progressing like we were hoping, they recently referred me to the IV expert in the Lyme world, Dr. Joseph Jemsek in Washington DC.
[ Lyme attacked my knees right before our family reunion trip to Disney World in 2015 ]
How it’s impacted MY LIFE:
I have felt pretty awful for close to half of my life. I actually can't even remember what it’s like to not be in pain. Pain & fatigue are my normal. Some days are better than others but for the last 18 years, I’ve never symptom free.
I try to explain living a life full of chronic pain & fatigue like this...most people live life in color but when you struggle with chronic pain and fatigue you live life in black and white...you may be physically present at an event but you don’t fully get to enjoy or experience what’s going on. To add to that your body wants to be in bed, while your mind and spirit wants live life to the fullest.
But hey, I’m a very positive person, I do not like to complain and I actually try to avoid people that do. Who wants to be around a Debbie Downer complainer? Not me! So I try to live life to the fullest and attempt to live a "normal" life in color.
I love serving my family and others. I enjoy going on dates with my husband, cooking meals for my family, picking up my kids from school and hearing all about their day, hosting Bible studies, game nights and working with the youth at church! I love people and building relationships.
I wish I could do more of these things but I am constantly pushing myself physically and my body is screaming to go lay down most of the time...I don't want to be in bed a lot but that's what my body needs so I miss out on many things or feel awful while I'm doing stuff.
It's very typical for a Lyme patient to look normal on the outside but feel awful on the inside.
Unfortunately, what most my friends do not see is that Lyme forces me to spend 3-6 hours in bed most afternoons due to pain and fatigue. I push myself to the max to take care of my family and then I crash sometimes for a few hours, sometimes for a couple of days. I’m so ready to be symptom free and get my life back!
A good friend recently encouraged me to stop pushing myself so much and ask for help with daily responsibilities, Dave and I took her advice and asked for help from our families. My amazing parents and wonderful mother-in-law pick up our kids every day after school. Our older kids make dinner several times a week, on top of their daily chores. It's been a big burden lifted off my shoulders. I wish I felt well enough to do these things but this is best and I'm learning to receive and ask for help.
Olsens persevere when faced with a challenge. This disease and treatment is a physical and financial challenge. Over the years, I have chosen to be fairly private about my daily suffering and the costs of the medical bills but I’m realizing that being more open is a good thing (Thx Jenny!). We need one another. Yet, it’s much easier for me to help others and receiving is humbling and takes practice but I’m learning it’s good to let others in and help.
I want to be well and with God’s grace I will be!
Asking for monetary aid from people is humbling but we are choosing to put pride aside and choose to be dependent on the Lord and ask our family and community of friends for help. We are excited to see how God will provide!
How it’s impacted MY FAMILY:
I spend a lot more time in bed resting than most people and deal with pain daily but I've tried my best over the years to not let my disease effect my family. This has been not been the wisest choice for my body's health but I want to be the fun, vibrant, encouraging wife, mom, daughter, sister, aunt etc. so I try to be apart of my family's life every way possible. I choose to block out the pain and keep going. My husband, Dave, has been a truly amazing support to me and has definitely been the family member most impacted by my disease.
Dave works very hard to provide for our family financially and is a fabulous spiritual leader in our home. I love him dearly and his spirit of adventure and his fearless approach to life has not changed in the 27 years I've known him. He is an incredible husband and father and his deepest desire is to point our family to Jesus. I love and admire him for this. Dave is an encourager to those around him and he is a lot of fun to be married to.
When he comes home from a hard day of work, most of time, he finds me in bed totally wiped out. That's not what any husband wants to come home to but it is what it is and I'm thankful for his love and compassion for me!
Dave and I love being together. We are in this marriage for life. We've have spent a lot of time over the years traveling to and meeting with neurologists, infectious disease doctors and Lyme specialists. He is such a support to me in this journey and is the best patient advocate in the world... all the while, having his own real estate business. He carries a lot on his big, broad shoulders!
We have also spent tens of thousands of dollars on doctors, tests, medication, and supplements trying to figure out what is wrong with me and striving for healing. Dave has never, ever complained about the cost of any of it!
I can't wait to get my life back and live life to the fullest, serving the Lord with the man of my dreams!
How God has used me through Lyme:
I desire to use my illness as my ministry and to share the Gospel. I have been able to share my story of suffering with people and use it to explain that I don't know why I have Lyme and why I have not been healed yet, but the disease has allowed me to be dependent on Jesus and that's a good thing. I get to choose to depend daily on my Savior and I know that someday I will be healed 100% whether here on earth or in heaven with Jesus someday because he forgave my sins and I am His follower. That gives me eternal peace and joy!
As I mentioned previously, I am a relational person. My most important relationship I have is with Jesus. He is my Savior, my Hope, my Joy. He gives me strength and is my Rock in this hard struggle with Lyme. By God’s grace, I’ve never been depressed but I do have a good cry every couple of months.
Since I spend quite a bit of time in bed I have been able to be a prayer warrior and pray for many people. I have seen many answered prayers. Once when I asked my doctor, at the time, how I could pray for him, he was shocked and asked me to repeat the question , when I repeated the question and it gave him time to think and share with me how I could pray for his family.
Good has come out of having this disease and I'm thankful to God for the good.
...............................................................
[ Dr. Jemsek's treatment consists of a combination of multiple IV antibiotics ]
M Y T R E A T M E N T
My Lyme Expert, Dr. Jemsek:
Dr. Jemsek is an Infection disease doctor who is considered an expert in his field and has treated thousands of Lyme patients. I saw Dr. Jemsek’s Physician's Assistant (PA) and she gave Dave & I tremendous hope stating she is 85% sure I can be symptom free if we proceed with this IV treatment plan....that’s an amazing stat!!! Woohoo!!
"Dr. Jemsek and his staff have been pleased to note that with their work of providing life-altering therapeutic intervention, their patients’ quality of life is often restored. In the process, much as been learned about treatment methods and treatment response. This information, along with what other Lyme-treating physicians around the country have learned, is all tremendously useful in understanding more about this debilitating illness and in providing more efficient and durable treatment." -Jemsek Specialty Clinic
7 Month IV Antibiotic Treatment Plan Includes:
• Install a Central line for IV antibiotics
• 7 months of IV antibiotics.
• Monthly trips to DC
• Multiple supplements
• Probiotics
• Gluten Free diet (which I have been doing for 4 years.)
This intense IV treatment protocol is some-what comparable to chemotherapy...I will feel worse before I get better...the goal is to kill the bacteria cells! With Lyme treatment, if the antibiotics make me feel terrible that means the bacteria is dying and producing toxins (called a Herx reaction) and that’s a good thing! Jemsek's treatment is patient specific. Dr Jemsek will use 4-5 different antibiotics. Each person's treatment is unique to the individual and based on how their body responds.
How We'll Be Using the Funding:
• $45K IV Antibiotics
• $ 5.5K Central Line
• $10K Traveling Monthly to DC
• $3K for 7 office visits
• $5.5K Medical Supplies
Total: $69,000
- $11,000 (donations to date)
Need: $58,000
10 % Discount:
Dr. Jemsek's office offers a 10% discount on IV antibiotics charges with a pre-paid deposit of $43,000.
Additional Info on Expenses:
My insurance company will NOT cover Dr. Jemsek's treatment. They only cover 30 days of Rocephin IV which I have tried twice but it was not successful. Dr. Jemsek does not use Rocephin because he has found it to not be effective. He uses a combination of multiple IV antibiotics and my insurance has denied coverage of all of them to treat Lyme.
There are several medical supplies will need to be purchased: weekly Central Line sterile dressing changes, saline & heparin syringes, IV tubing and liter bags of Lactated Ringer's solution.
In additional to medical expenses, we are required to travel to DC at least 7 times during this treatment to introduce new antibiotics in their office and have follow up appointments.
I am hoping and praying to begin the IV treatment in January 2019.
...............................................................
A B O U T L Y M E D I S E A S E
• Lyme is caused by a bacteria from an insect bite called Borrelia Burgdorferi (Bb).
• Most of the attention is on the deer tick bite but many Lyme experts believe that any biting insect can carry the Borrelia (Bb) bacteria and a person can be infected with Lyme when bitten.
• There are many symptoms of Lyme disease and it causes or mimics over 300 diseases.
• Borrelia is very smart; it is immune-evasive and has the ability to survive under unfavorable conditions. It can hide within the body’s cells to avoid detection and elimination by the immune system.
• Bb can then change its form into a cyst which enables it to be protected until conditions are optimal. If it is left on its own, it can interfere with the normal functioning of many organs including the musculo-skeletal system, the gut and bladder and the brain.
• The modern medical community does not have accurate testing or research. In their minds, chronic Lyme does not exist and they refuse treat it.
• They will treat acute Lyme with 2-4weeks of oral antibiotics and that’s it. Period. They will only give the IV antibiotic Rocephin for a maximum of 30 days. Then, if symptoms persist patients are prescribed pain meds and steroids for inflammation long term.
• The receive the best treatment, patients need to find a doctor knowledgeable and caring physician to come along side them to treat the bacteria along with the whole body. There are a hand full of great Lyme physicians out there whose goal is for their patients to be symptom free and they have the expertise to get them there.
• It is essential that Lyme sufferers go to a doctor that is not mandated by insurance companies on how much time they spend with their patients nor control which medication they can prescribe.
• The best Lyme literate physicians are self pay...I’ve been told by a Lyme expert that at this time in medical history Lyme is a "rich persons" disease. So sad. But with prayers, more awareness and education this can and will change some day!
Lyme Info from my doctor, Dr Jemsek:
“Lyme Disease and co-infections have many components that work together to potentially disrupt practically every system in the body. They create intense stress within the human body causing immunologic chaos, turmoil and ultimately significant dysfunction. In advanced cases, the immune system has ‘lost the battle’ and is just ‘making noise’ with only a small chance of regaining immunologic control by eliminating multiple primary and opportunistic infections."
As Lyme patients, "Your journey into the world of Lyme treatment has likely been wrought with confusing and sometimes conflicting information. This is because Lyme Disease, and the Borrelia burgdorferi bacterium that causes it, is extremely complex with relatively little research being done by the greater medical community. At the Jemsek™ Specialty Clinic (JSC), we aim to change that. Our goal is to raise awareness of the disease and how it affects people – as well as friends and families – by helping patients through innovative treatments we have developed during years of extensive research, study, and experience returning thousands of patients to health.”
...............................................................
A D D I T I O N A L W A Y S T O S U P P O R T
• Prayer for Healing, Sleep, and Pain Management during treatment.
• Wisdom for Dr. Jemsek and Rachel Markey, PA with treatment plan.
• Blessings and salvation for all the staff at Jemsek Specialty Clinic.
• Non-GoFundMe Financial Support: Gifts given through "GoFundMe" are subject to 8% in fees (I'll get .92 of each dollar given). If it is preferable for you to write a check, rather than give online here, checks can be written and mailed to:
Keri and Dave Olsen - 819 S Federal HWY, STE 300 - Stuart FL 34994
...............................................................
T H A N K Y O U
Thank you for your support and prayers to help me kick Lyme disease! You are welcome to share my GoFundMe page with others.
With Love,
Keri Olsen
My name is Keri, and our family has made the decision to start a GoFundMe page to help me fight my battle with chronic Lyme disease. We covet your prayers for my healing, and are seeking funds to pursue an intense 7 month IV antibiotic treatment in hopes of the Lord using this to heal me and allow me to lead a symptom-free, normal life. Dr. Jemsek's staff told us that with his treatment plan, I have an 85% chance of being symptom-free!
Thank you for joining me in my journey to kick Lyme! My family and I are grateful for His provision through each and every one of you. Whether your contribution is $5 or more than $100, we are so humbled by your love and support.
For a little insight into Lyme, please scroll to the bottom of this page, or click here for more expanded details.
...............................................................
Quick Overview:
• Diagnosed with Lyme in 2015
• Suffered with Lyme symptoms for 18+ years
• Constant Fatigue and Pain
• Unable to Take Care of Family Like I Used to
• Must Rest 3-6 Hours During Day
• Very Expensive Treatment
• Insurance Does Not Cover the 7 Months of Treatment
• Additional Expenses for Travel, etc
NOTE: Gifts given through "GoFundMe" are subject to 3% in fees. If it is preferable for you to write a check, rather than give online here, checks can be written and mailed to:
Keri and Dave Olsen - 819 S Federal HWY, STE 300 - Stuart, FL 34994
...............................................................
M Y S T O R Y
How I contracted Lyme:
• I do not know exactly when I contracted Lyme disease , but doctors tell me I've had it for close to 30 years.
• I do not remember being bitten by the insect that gave me the Borrelia bacteria that causes Lyme disease.
• I am one of the 50% of Lyme patients who did not get a bull's eye rash.
• The Lyme Borrelia bacteria was dormant in my body for 10 years without any symptoms, then during my third pregnancy the symptoms began. This is typical, a "stressor" on the body either physical or mental can awaken the Lyme Borrelia "giant."
When I was Diagnosed:
For the past 18+ years I've struggled with headaches, gut issues, stiff neck, plus neck, shoulder, and hand pain, insomnia, leg numbness, and fatigue. I went to many doctors but no one gave me correct diagnosis and treatment. I never gave up pursuing answers but as a stay at home mom with 5 kids who felt terrible all of the time, that was an uphill battle.
In September 2015, my symptoms got much worse . I started losing mobility. My knees were filled with fluid and I was in a wheelchair for 3 months plus also dealing with all my "normal" agonizing symptoms. It was a nightmare that I could not escape. This was very challenging both physically and emotionally, being a "strong" person that didn’t usually ask for help, I had to ask for help. We had the blessing of friends and family stepping up to bring us meals, go grocery shopping, and drive our kids around. That was a huge blessing!
My orthopedic doctor couldn’t figure out why my knees were so swollen with fluid. He was stumped! He tested the synovial fluid in my knees for lots of rare things without any answers. Then, he actually scheduled me for knee surgery, hoping that removing the synovial sac would help. That was another low point for me!
A week before the knee surgery, God used my nephew’s recent diagnosis of Lyme to spark me to ask the orthopedic doctor to test me for Lyme disease.
That same week as we were awaiting the Lyme results, I had a team of missionaries gather around me to pray for me to have a crystal clear diagnosis (Lyme testing only has a 30% accuracy rate... lots of false negatives) and that very next day God have me the crystal clear diagnosis for my years of suffering: chronic Lyme disease & a co-infections called Mycoplasma and Candida.
I was so thankful and amazed that I had a diagnosis! The knee surgery was cancelled! I felt validated that the years of pain and suffering were real and I was not a crazy person.
My test results were very unique and very "positive" with all 10 bands positive for Lyme (5 bands are considered a positive result). I was referred to an infectious disease doctor. I saw several infectious doctors in our area that told me that since I looked normal, my symptoms were “all in my head” and that chronic Lyme did not exist.
These local infectious disease doctors were condescending and inaccurate but it’s very typical for Lyme patients to hear this from the modern medical community. Of course, I knew they were wrong. I had the lab results and symptoms of chronic Lyme disease.
Thankfully, the Lord led me to Dr. Kirti Kalidas & Dr. Amar Kalidas, father and son Lyme specialists, in Orlando, who are both Medical and Naturopathic doctors. They are wonderful and helped me a lot for 3 years but since I have not been progressing like we were hoping, they recently referred me to the IV expert in the Lyme world, Dr. Joseph Jemsek in Washington DC.
[ Lyme attacked my knees right before our family reunion trip to Disney World in 2015 ]
How it’s impacted MY LIFE:
I have felt pretty awful for close to half of my life. I actually can't even remember what it’s like to not be in pain. Pain & fatigue are my normal. Some days are better than others but for the last 18 years, I’ve never symptom free.
I try to explain living a life full of chronic pain & fatigue like this...most people live life in color but when you struggle with chronic pain and fatigue you live life in black and white...you may be physically present at an event but you don’t fully get to enjoy or experience what’s going on. To add to that your body wants to be in bed, while your mind and spirit wants live life to the fullest.
But hey, I’m a very positive person, I do not like to complain and I actually try to avoid people that do. Who wants to be around a Debbie Downer complainer? Not me! So I try to live life to the fullest and attempt to live a "normal" life in color.
I love serving my family and others. I enjoy going on dates with my husband, cooking meals for my family, picking up my kids from school and hearing all about their day, hosting Bible studies, game nights and working with the youth at church! I love people and building relationships.
I wish I could do more of these things but I am constantly pushing myself physically and my body is screaming to go lay down most of the time...I don't want to be in bed a lot but that's what my body needs so I miss out on many things or feel awful while I'm doing stuff.
It's very typical for a Lyme patient to look normal on the outside but feel awful on the inside.
Unfortunately, what most my friends do not see is that Lyme forces me to spend 3-6 hours in bed most afternoons due to pain and fatigue. I push myself to the max to take care of my family and then I crash sometimes for a few hours, sometimes for a couple of days. I’m so ready to be symptom free and get my life back!
A good friend recently encouraged me to stop pushing myself so much and ask for help with daily responsibilities, Dave and I took her advice and asked for help from our families. My amazing parents and wonderful mother-in-law pick up our kids every day after school. Our older kids make dinner several times a week, on top of their daily chores. It's been a big burden lifted off my shoulders. I wish I felt well enough to do these things but this is best and I'm learning to receive and ask for help.
Olsens persevere when faced with a challenge. This disease and treatment is a physical and financial challenge. Over the years, I have chosen to be fairly private about my daily suffering and the costs of the medical bills but I’m realizing that being more open is a good thing (Thx Jenny!). We need one another. Yet, it’s much easier for me to help others and receiving is humbling and takes practice but I’m learning it’s good to let others in and help.
I want to be well and with God’s grace I will be!
Asking for monetary aid from people is humbling but we are choosing to put pride aside and choose to be dependent on the Lord and ask our family and community of friends for help. We are excited to see how God will provide!
How it’s impacted MY FAMILY:
I spend a lot more time in bed resting than most people and deal with pain daily but I've tried my best over the years to not let my disease effect my family. This has been not been the wisest choice for my body's health but I want to be the fun, vibrant, encouraging wife, mom, daughter, sister, aunt etc. so I try to be apart of my family's life every way possible. I choose to block out the pain and keep going. My husband, Dave, has been a truly amazing support to me and has definitely been the family member most impacted by my disease.
Dave works very hard to provide for our family financially and is a fabulous spiritual leader in our home. I love him dearly and his spirit of adventure and his fearless approach to life has not changed in the 27 years I've known him. He is an incredible husband and father and his deepest desire is to point our family to Jesus. I love and admire him for this. Dave is an encourager to those around him and he is a lot of fun to be married to.
When he comes home from a hard day of work, most of time, he finds me in bed totally wiped out. That's not what any husband wants to come home to but it is what it is and I'm thankful for his love and compassion for me!
Dave and I love being together. We are in this marriage for life. We've have spent a lot of time over the years traveling to and meeting with neurologists, infectious disease doctors and Lyme specialists. He is such a support to me in this journey and is the best patient advocate in the world... all the while, having his own real estate business. He carries a lot on his big, broad shoulders!
We have also spent tens of thousands of dollars on doctors, tests, medication, and supplements trying to figure out what is wrong with me and striving for healing. Dave has never, ever complained about the cost of any of it!
I can't wait to get my life back and live life to the fullest, serving the Lord with the man of my dreams!
How God has used me through Lyme:
I desire to use my illness as my ministry and to share the Gospel. I have been able to share my story of suffering with people and use it to explain that I don't know why I have Lyme and why I have not been healed yet, but the disease has allowed me to be dependent on Jesus and that's a good thing. I get to choose to depend daily on my Savior and I know that someday I will be healed 100% whether here on earth or in heaven with Jesus someday because he forgave my sins and I am His follower. That gives me eternal peace and joy!
As I mentioned previously, I am a relational person. My most important relationship I have is with Jesus. He is my Savior, my Hope, my Joy. He gives me strength and is my Rock in this hard struggle with Lyme. By God’s grace, I’ve never been depressed but I do have a good cry every couple of months.
Since I spend quite a bit of time in bed I have been able to be a prayer warrior and pray for many people. I have seen many answered prayers. Once when I asked my doctor, at the time, how I could pray for him, he was shocked and asked me to repeat the question , when I repeated the question and it gave him time to think and share with me how I could pray for his family.
Good has come out of having this disease and I'm thankful to God for the good.
...............................................................
[ Dr. Jemsek's treatment consists of a combination of multiple IV antibiotics ]
M Y T R E A T M E N T
My Lyme Expert, Dr. Jemsek:
Dr. Jemsek is an Infection disease doctor who is considered an expert in his field and has treated thousands of Lyme patients. I saw Dr. Jemsek’s Physician's Assistant (PA) and she gave Dave & I tremendous hope stating she is 85% sure I can be symptom free if we proceed with this IV treatment plan....that’s an amazing stat!!! Woohoo!!
"Dr. Jemsek and his staff have been pleased to note that with their work of providing life-altering therapeutic intervention, their patients’ quality of life is often restored. In the process, much as been learned about treatment methods and treatment response. This information, along with what other Lyme-treating physicians around the country have learned, is all tremendously useful in understanding more about this debilitating illness and in providing more efficient and durable treatment." -Jemsek Specialty Clinic
7 Month IV Antibiotic Treatment Plan Includes:
• Install a Central line for IV antibiotics
• 7 months of IV antibiotics.
• Monthly trips to DC
• Multiple supplements
• Probiotics
• Gluten Free diet (which I have been doing for 4 years.)
This intense IV treatment protocol is some-what comparable to chemotherapy...I will feel worse before I get better...the goal is to kill the bacteria cells! With Lyme treatment, if the antibiotics make me feel terrible that means the bacteria is dying and producing toxins (called a Herx reaction) and that’s a good thing! Jemsek's treatment is patient specific. Dr Jemsek will use 4-5 different antibiotics. Each person's treatment is unique to the individual and based on how their body responds.
How We'll Be Using the Funding:
• $45K IV Antibiotics
• $ 5.5K Central Line
• $10K Traveling Monthly to DC
• $3K for 7 office visits
• $5.5K Medical Supplies
Total: $69,000
- $11,000 (donations to date)
Need: $58,000
10 % Discount:
Dr. Jemsek's office offers a 10% discount on IV antibiotics charges with a pre-paid deposit of $43,000.
Additional Info on Expenses:
My insurance company will NOT cover Dr. Jemsek's treatment. They only cover 30 days of Rocephin IV which I have tried twice but it was not successful. Dr. Jemsek does not use Rocephin because he has found it to not be effective. He uses a combination of multiple IV antibiotics and my insurance has denied coverage of all of them to treat Lyme.
There are several medical supplies will need to be purchased: weekly Central Line sterile dressing changes, saline & heparin syringes, IV tubing and liter bags of Lactated Ringer's solution.
In additional to medical expenses, we are required to travel to DC at least 7 times during this treatment to introduce new antibiotics in their office and have follow up appointments.
I am hoping and praying to begin the IV treatment in January 2019.
...............................................................
A B O U T L Y M E D I S E A S E
• Lyme is caused by a bacteria from an insect bite called Borrelia Burgdorferi (Bb).
• Most of the attention is on the deer tick bite but many Lyme experts believe that any biting insect can carry the Borrelia (Bb) bacteria and a person can be infected with Lyme when bitten.
• There are many symptoms of Lyme disease and it causes or mimics over 300 diseases.
• Borrelia is very smart; it is immune-evasive and has the ability to survive under unfavorable conditions. It can hide within the body’s cells to avoid detection and elimination by the immune system.
• Bb can then change its form into a cyst which enables it to be protected until conditions are optimal. If it is left on its own, it can interfere with the normal functioning of many organs including the musculo-skeletal system, the gut and bladder and the brain.
• The modern medical community does not have accurate testing or research. In their minds, chronic Lyme does not exist and they refuse treat it.
• They will treat acute Lyme with 2-4weeks of oral antibiotics and that’s it. Period. They will only give the IV antibiotic Rocephin for a maximum of 30 days. Then, if symptoms persist patients are prescribed pain meds and steroids for inflammation long term.
• The receive the best treatment, patients need to find a doctor knowledgeable and caring physician to come along side them to treat the bacteria along with the whole body. There are a hand full of great Lyme physicians out there whose goal is for their patients to be symptom free and they have the expertise to get them there.
• It is essential that Lyme sufferers go to a doctor that is not mandated by insurance companies on how much time they spend with their patients nor control which medication they can prescribe.
• The best Lyme literate physicians are self pay...I’ve been told by a Lyme expert that at this time in medical history Lyme is a "rich persons" disease. So sad. But with prayers, more awareness and education this can and will change some day!
Lyme Info from my doctor, Dr Jemsek:
“Lyme Disease and co-infections have many components that work together to potentially disrupt practically every system in the body. They create intense stress within the human body causing immunologic chaos, turmoil and ultimately significant dysfunction. In advanced cases, the immune system has ‘lost the battle’ and is just ‘making noise’ with only a small chance of regaining immunologic control by eliminating multiple primary and opportunistic infections."
As Lyme patients, "Your journey into the world of Lyme treatment has likely been wrought with confusing and sometimes conflicting information. This is because Lyme Disease, and the Borrelia burgdorferi bacterium that causes it, is extremely complex with relatively little research being done by the greater medical community. At the Jemsek™ Specialty Clinic (JSC), we aim to change that. Our goal is to raise awareness of the disease and how it affects people – as well as friends and families – by helping patients through innovative treatments we have developed during years of extensive research, study, and experience returning thousands of patients to health.”
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A D D I T I O N A L W A Y S T O S U P P O R T
• Prayer for Healing, Sleep, and Pain Management during treatment.
• Wisdom for Dr. Jemsek and Rachel Markey, PA with treatment plan.
• Blessings and salvation for all the staff at Jemsek Specialty Clinic.
• Non-GoFundMe Financial Support: Gifts given through "GoFundMe" are subject to 8% in fees (I'll get .92 of each dollar given). If it is preferable for you to write a check, rather than give online here, checks can be written and mailed to:
Keri and Dave Olsen - 819 S Federal HWY, STE 300 - Stuart FL 34994
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T H A N K Y O U
Thank you for your support and prayers to help me kick Lyme disease! You are welcome to share my GoFundMe page with others.
With Love,
Keri Olsen
Organizer
Keri Cooper Olsen
Organizer
Stuart, FL