Roy's Battle Against ALS

Roy’s Battle Against ALS
This family needs our help!
 
     In October of 2018 Roy visited his doctor for a checkup because he was having numbness in his right arm and foot. He had begun dropping things, unexplainably stumbling and his speech was becoming slurred. Roy’s blood work results concerned his doctor greatly, so he sent him to UVA for more testing. Multiple tests were done on Roy including, muscle and nerve conduction studies, MRI’s and a spinal tap to rule out other neurological disorders. Roy and Janet were devasted when he was officially diagnosed with ALS, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also called Lou Gehrig’s Disease. In ALS, nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord die weakening muscle movement therefore causing muscles to waste away.
     This disease is rapidly progressive. In December of 2018, just two months after being diagnosed, Roy was no longer able to work because of his progressive muscle loss. He could no longer drive, steadily hold a cup or walk without falling. By spring of 2019 Roy was dependent on a wheelchair and his family for mobility, he could no longer rise on his own or support his own body weight to simply stand or walk. As of today, Roy has lost complete use of his arms and legs, his speech is severely delayed and slurred, breathing is increasingly more difficult, and a feeding tube has been placed for the day he can no longer swallow. Simple everyday tasks we all take for granted, Roy is now dependent on his wife and children to perform for him, dressing, toileting, eating and drinking.
     Roy was an active, energetic 39 year old man when diagnosed, that has been robbed of his independence but instead of giving up hope he choose to join studies at UVA, to hopefully expand his own life expectancy and with any luck help others avoid this death sentence. ALS affects each person differently but with ALS people often die within 5 years. Janet has been determined since his diagnosis to make whatever life Roy has left the best and most comfortable it can be. She has battled insurance for help every step of the way. Equipment that is needed, insurance has deemed unnecessary, like a motorized wheelchair, Hoyer lift and cough assist machine. Janet and Roy are so thankful and appreciative for what they do have, like the wheelchair ramp and shower accommodations, but other things are needed now, and their savings is nearly exhausted. They are raising three children, which we all know is expensive enough with two working parents. Janet is still working fulltime while managing his care, they are only receiving a fraction of what Roy was making prior to his health decline. There are medical bills, medicine, insurance copays and equipment rental fees, monthly visits to UVA, medical equipment they would like to have and medical supplies they use every day and it all adds up quickly.
     Janet and Roy have been reluctant to ask for any monetary support, but they need our help. We are determined to not let ALS take more from this family than it already has. If you can, please donate to help this family make the remainder of Roy’s life as comfortable as possible and help relieve Janet of some of the financial strain she is under. Please keep them lifted up in your prayers!

#FightForRoyG