Eleanor (Alaimo) Meilinger’s fight with CJD

This year on August 5Th (Eleanor’s birthday) our mom began experiencing changes in speech, confusion, and hallucinations. After two long months of hospitalizations and extensive testing, our worst nightmare came true. She was diagnosed with an extremely rare, terminal brain disease called Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease or CJD. It is rapidly degenerative and the life expectancy is usually no longer than a year after symptoms begins. Devastatingly, there is no cure or effective treatment. The best we can hope for is alleviating her pain and relieving as many symptoms as we can. The one thing that we do know about the disease is keeping her stress free, mentally stimulated, and comfortable is the best chance at slowing its progression.

Eleanor has been married to our dad Mike for over 30 years and has been the best, wife mother and friend to us all. She has taught us love and compassion. She has supported us through all of our endeavors and shown acceptance and open mindedness in all she has done for us.

Our beautiful mom shared her passion for the arts, theater and music as well as her flare for cooking and her love of books with us and we are all the better for it.

Throughout all this my mom has kept her unwavering positivity, sense of humor, and determination to beat the odds. Her one wish is to stay as comfortable, coherent and independent as she can while still at home. She wants to spend her remaining time on this earth surrounded by the love of her friends and family and we will do our best to help grant her this wish.

Her siblings and friends are rallying around us in support but no one can ever be prepared for something like this.

Our mom has spent her lifetime taking care of us, now it is time for us to take care of her but we need your help.

We are asking for financial aid for our mom and our family so that we can provide her the best quality care and give her a comfortable and dignified life under these unimaginable circumstances. Any donations made will be used for the following:

- Medical expenses and copays for specialists for this disease (not covered by her insurance)

- Mobility and accessibility aids for the home and family vehicle

- Comfort and enrichment items to help with mental stimulation and cognitive therapy

- Transportation costs to and from her many medical appointments

- Support for her daughters travel and living expenses as they coordinate her care and take LOA from work

- Final expenses (cremation/funeral costs)

Any additional funds collected, after the completion of our mom’s care will be donated to the CJD Foundation. This will ensure further support and research for a cure to this horrible disease.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and any help you can offer will be a blessing.

https://cjdfoundation.org/about-cjd