Michelle and Barry Need YOUR Help!

Michelle and Barry Feldschneider are my cousins. They are in their early 50s, married, and have a 19 year old daughter who attends Chestnut Hill college. Prior to March of 2023, Michelle worked regularly as an early intervention time therapist with children under age 3 with neurological disorders. Barry has been disabled since 2014.

In March of this year, Michelle started to experience twitching in her facial muscles and her hand. This twitching progressively got worse u til she started to fall regularly. In late April, Michelle was admitted to he hospital after one particularly bad fall. She was released when tests showed no serious issues.

However, she followed up with a neurologist and found herself admitted to the hospital again on Tuesday, May 9, 2023. While in the hospital, Michelle started to experience full-blown seizures. At the same time, her EEG, MRI, and other tests were showing no negative activity. On May 25, 2023, Michelle's seizure was so bad she almost died. She lost consciousness and has no recollection of the two weeks prior to that date.

About a week before this fateful seizure, Michelle's doctors performed a spinal tap. Around the time of this near-death seizure, the results of the spinal tap came back and finally gave everyone the answers they needed.

Michelle was diagnosed with limbic encephalitis, an autoimmune disorder that affects one in every 3 million people. The disease causes blindness, hearing loss, seizures, insomnia, anxiety, and brain trauma. With this new diagnosis, the doctors found medication to stop the seizures and help control other related health issues.

Michelle lost the use of her left side and is currently in a wheelchair. She is undergoing PT, OT, and speech therapies in a rehabilitation facility as she takes the journey on this long road towards recovery. She cannot work and may never be able to return to work. Her prognosis is not known as there are so few cases to provide case studies on this disease and its effects on patients.

In the meantime, her husband, Barry, has been by her side daily. However, as a result of extended hospital visits and stays, Barry contracted sepsis. The infection was so deep, he required surgery to remove it. Now Barry and Michelle are sharing a rehab facility as he receives daily infusions of antibiotics to remove the infection from his system completely.

Their daughter, Maddy, has been working 2 jobs since she has been home for the summer, trying to manage their home, take care of their cats, and help pay bills. She has run between visits with her parents, seeing her grandparents and family as she can, working, and trying to take a few minutes for herself here and there.

Michelle and Barry have friends and family who have stepped up and helped with emotional and some financial support through this ordeal. However, this road to recovery and a new normal is long and uncertain. They will need help at home, financial assistance, and more. Their entire lives are now changed forever.

Any help that you can give is greatly appreciated. They have depleted their savings and are only receiving one disability check per month while waiting for Michelle's disability to take effect. Bills need to get paid and medical care needs to continue. And while they are receiving some financial help, it will not go very far and will not be able to sustain them for the long term.

Every penny counts! Your help will be greatly appreciated.

Tizku L'Mitzvot!

Rachel Lewkowicz