Rick's strong - Tackling Lyme Disease
Donation protected
Hello! My name is Rick and I need your help.
6 years ago my health took a sudden shift for the worst. Years talking with specialists, countless hours researching, and having to spend all of my savings left me broken, depressed and wondering if I would ever know what is wrong with me.
The dark valley I was walking didn’t seem to have any end in sight.
But that has changed.
Until recently, I was undiagnosed with Stage 3 Lyme disease. After submitting the gold standard blood test for Lyme Disease to IGeneX, the results came back conclusive – a solid positive. This new information comes as both a blessing and a curse. It’s great to know what I am up against; it’s a punch to the gut knowing it's Lyme.
If that wasn’t bad enough, after a detailed sweep of my house, toxic black mold has been identified in several locations. Not only does the black mold affect my health but it inevitably makes the Lyme in my body worse. My house is sick and so am I.
The lethargy, fogginess of mind, and pain have robbed me of my once very active life. You wouldn’t know it to see me today, but I had an amazing career in professional football in both the CFL (10 years), followed by a short stint in the NFL. At the height of my football career, I weighed in at 260 lbs, could bench press over 500 pounds, and maintained the title of the strongest player in the CFL for several years. Today, I can barely pick up a small box of books.
After football I embarked on a career in sales, moved to Texas from my native Canada, and had successes in different fields. I had a family (3 kids) and laid down roots in Houston. My life was great, I did what I loved and I stayed fit – working out, weight lifting, rollerblading, hiking, playing tennis, etc.
Enter Lyme disease.
I didn’t know it at the time but on one of my hiking trips, I picked up a tick. I didn’t realize that the bulls-eye rash that appeared on my calf was a significant sign that a tick had bitten me, nor did I make any connection as symptoms began to manifest.
My health began to decline, fatigue became a constant state of being and exercising became difficult. Soon, muscle and joint soreness increased and I began to struggle with persistent insomnia. Six years later, I am a shadow of what I was physically and mentally. Each day is a struggle to do even the most minor of everyday tasks. I am debilitated and unable to do much more than survive. I have tried everything imaginable to get better – I have spent tens of thousands of dollars on stem cell treatment, endless supplements, physiotherapy, chiropractic and various other machines and treatments but nothing has helped and I have just been getting worse. This week, I now know what I need to do.
And I need your help.
Lyme treatment is expensive (not covered by health insurance) and, as I mentioned above, my savings have been completely wiped out trying to find answers and relief. I will need $59,500 to cover the cost of the Lyme Treatment centre (w/ all attendant costs) and the remediation of the mold in my home.
Please consider donating to my journey to get free of Lyme and reclaim my life.
Thank you and God bless.
6 years ago my health took a sudden shift for the worst. Years talking with specialists, countless hours researching, and having to spend all of my savings left me broken, depressed and wondering if I would ever know what is wrong with me.
The dark valley I was walking didn’t seem to have any end in sight.
But that has changed.
Until recently, I was undiagnosed with Stage 3 Lyme disease. After submitting the gold standard blood test for Lyme Disease to IGeneX, the results came back conclusive – a solid positive. This new information comes as both a blessing and a curse. It’s great to know what I am up against; it’s a punch to the gut knowing it's Lyme.
If that wasn’t bad enough, after a detailed sweep of my house, toxic black mold has been identified in several locations. Not only does the black mold affect my health but it inevitably makes the Lyme in my body worse. My house is sick and so am I.
The lethargy, fogginess of mind, and pain have robbed me of my once very active life. You wouldn’t know it to see me today, but I had an amazing career in professional football in both the CFL (10 years), followed by a short stint in the NFL. At the height of my football career, I weighed in at 260 lbs, could bench press over 500 pounds, and maintained the title of the strongest player in the CFL for several years. Today, I can barely pick up a small box of books.
After football I embarked on a career in sales, moved to Texas from my native Canada, and had successes in different fields. I had a family (3 kids) and laid down roots in Houston. My life was great, I did what I loved and I stayed fit – working out, weight lifting, rollerblading, hiking, playing tennis, etc.
Enter Lyme disease.
I didn’t know it at the time but on one of my hiking trips, I picked up a tick. I didn’t realize that the bulls-eye rash that appeared on my calf was a significant sign that a tick had bitten me, nor did I make any connection as symptoms began to manifest.
My health began to decline, fatigue became a constant state of being and exercising became difficult. Soon, muscle and joint soreness increased and I began to struggle with persistent insomnia. Six years later, I am a shadow of what I was physically and mentally. Each day is a struggle to do even the most minor of everyday tasks. I am debilitated and unable to do much more than survive. I have tried everything imaginable to get better – I have spent tens of thousands of dollars on stem cell treatment, endless supplements, physiotherapy, chiropractic and various other machines and treatments but nothing has helped and I have just been getting worse. This week, I now know what I need to do.
And I need your help.
Lyme treatment is expensive (not covered by health insurance) and, as I mentioned above, my savings have been completely wiped out trying to find answers and relief. I will need $59,500 to cover the cost of the Lyme Treatment centre (w/ all attendant costs) and the remediation of the mold in my home.
Please consider donating to my journey to get free of Lyme and reclaim my life.
Thank you and God bless.
Organizer
Rick Goltz
Organizer
Spring, TX