Judie Palmer Physical Healing Cost

My name is Della Washington and I’ve known Judie Palmer for 12 years. You may not believe in or needed Judie’s extraordinary sixth-sense gifts, but for thousands of us, she has changed our lives. It has given us peace of mind and a renewed faith in ourselves and our abilities to get through any struggle we have. Her fees have always been and will remain modest, as she believes everyone deserves help. Judie is the real deal. Now it is time for us to give back to her.

Judie has severe stenosis and myelopathy throughout her cervical and lumbar spine. In order to save the use of her arms and legs, she needed to have C3 through C7 decompressed and C2 through C7 bone grafted and fused. This required 12 screws and two rods to keep her spinal cord free from bone spurs and hold her head up. The surgery was invasive and required the cutting of muscles and ligaments as well as bone grafting. She wore a hard neck brace for 3 months and continues to strengthen her arms and legs as much as possible. This type of surgery makes her susceptible to a 15% chance of infection and requires a one-year recovery time.

She has permanently lose 70% of her head and neck mobility, which will not allow her to do normal activities such as driving without expensive adjustments to her car. She needed to find new ways of simply washing her hair or cooking. She has already had to purchase an entirely new wardrobe and slip-on shoes, an upright walker, walking canes, bathing brushes, and so much more that are suitable for the loss of 70% mobility in her neck.

Judie will always need caregiving in things like doing the laundry and driving; but even little things like cutting her toenails. Cooking is a problem and making meals from scratch is very slow and painful. Because she cannot drive, it is necessary to purchase groceries through online means with added fees and tips. On the outside, Judie wears a brave face to her clients, but on the inside, her permanent limitations, anxiety over mounting bills and autoimmune flares have caused digestive issues, profound fatigue, nose bleeds, extensive dental work along with joint and muscle pain, all being a steady "diet" since the surgery. For the past 10 months, she has not be able to take anti-inflammatory medicines to help with Sjogren’s chronic pain in her joints and muscles.

During the first few months, Judie needed her husband's full-time caregiving. Being both self-employed, they do not have the benefit of paid sick leave or disability and have had a drop in clientele since the surgery. This has set them back financially.

For those of you who do not know about Sjogren’s, it is a systemic autoimmune disease that affects the entire body. Along with symptoms of extensive dryness, other serious complications include profound fatigue, chronic pain, major organ involvement, neuropathies, and lymphomas. Her Sjogren flares will cause her to be more susceptible to infections and a slower healing process.

During the COVID pandemic lockdown, their entire government and state funding they received went to their former business landlord. In December 2021, they closed their seven-room business location and rented a one-room massage therapy studio for Joseph, two storage spaces, and Judie now works from their small living space in order to make ends meet. They hoped this would help save a little money for the time Judie would need to recover and be out of work, but they did not expect the severity of her condition and recovery time.

The new goal is to raise another $3,000 to help her pay past due monthly bills, rents, and other needs and relieve anxiety. The more rest and calm that Judie remains in, the better she will physically recover and be able to help us.