Don Harman, ALS, Advocate-Love-Support

My dad needs your help. As many of you know my dad, Don Harman, has been diagnosed with an awful disease. This disease has been so heartbreaking for my dad and our whole family.  I want you to know the struggle of my dad... this is something that can only be partly imagined.  Being trapped in his body is increasing daily. He loses more and more of his body function. He is now losing the use of his only (last working) hand and arm. His swallowing is now greatly labored. He has decided to get a feeding tube in and will be going into surgery soon (within the next wk(s) or so). 

 Also he has lost the ability to talk since last summer. He thoughts have been trapped in his own mind. He has told me he feels so isolated. We got an eye-gazer talking machine. He should get it some time this week. 

 My dad has a Motor Neuron Disease (Also known as ALS/PLS). He is fighting for his life.  There is new treatments that may be on the market this year and we hope he will have access to it when it is available. We pray for a cure and healing for my dad. This is a disease the doctors give you no hope on; that is why we are reading out.

 I am writing this because he needs your help. He needs your prayer. He needs his friends to stop by and pray for him and just be with him. Come and sit with him. Be God’s hands and feet. Even if it is shortly, come by.  He needs prayer and connection. He loves to go for walks too. So you can walk with him. 

 Pray for healing. Pray for his feeding tube to have positive outcomes. Pray that the talking machine (Eye Gazer) is easy for him to use. Pray that the depression subsides. This has been an emotional roller-coaster.

 We are starting a go-fund-me page to help with the cost of medical. Insurance does not cover a lot of my dad's needs.  This has put a major financial burden on my parents. My mom is no longer able to care for all the needs of my dad. We need to get caregivers in there 20 hours a week. And a caregiver cost about 30 dollars an hour. (20 hrous a week is about 600 dollars a week or 2,400 per month.) My dad will need more care if he continues to decline. My mom has given of herself and her body cannot do it.  She is in pain all the time from caring for my dad.  We have to get a caregiver. This has been very difficult for my parents to ask and accept help. But they need it. The money will go directly into an account specifically for caregiving costs or other non-covered medical expenses. 

Please continue to pray for healing. My dad has been so brave and strong through this whole thing.  He says it is in God's hands.  He continues to love and rely on God daily.