Von's Give Up Your Legs or Give Up Your Life!

After 2 surgeries during a 9 month battle with Charcot's foot, Osteomyelitis and his Type 1 Diabetes, Von was given the decision to LET GO OF HIS LEGS OR LET GO OF HIS LIFE. The infection was growing too quickly and was unable to be contained. Von is a fighter and survivor though and refused to accept that final outcome in this battle with the collapsing bones in his ankles and his bone infection, so he researched and reached out to his current Dr., specializing in his condition and with his wife Gail, has traveled to NYC and successfully completed his first corrective surgery, on his infected bone right foot.

I am Von’s younger sister Jamie and I am setting up this fundraiser for my brother, Von Helm. Many have asked how they can help and Go Fund Me is the answer. Von has been a Type 1 Diabetic since 1996. He is insulin dependent and uses a Tandem tSlim X2 insulin pump and Dexcom G6 Constant Glucose Monitor, He has had severe peripheral neuropathy since 2000, He is currently confined to a wheelchair due to bilateral Charcot neuroarthropathy (nerve endings within the joints succumb to neuropathy, so the bones are no longer aware of their positions, which leads to an extreme rapid arthritis which quickly destroys the architecture of the foot) commonly referred to as Charcot’s Foot and osteomyelitis (bone infection) in his right foot. Von's ankles and heels were affected by this condition and have self-destructed to the point that his feet are no longer connected by bone to his legs. More information on these life-threatening conditions can be found by visiting Dr. Gitlin’s webpage: Limb Center of New York Foot and Ankle Surgery.  I encourage you to gain more knowledge on the complications treating these conditions and horrendous pain Von deals with day in and day out. 

My goal is to help alleviate the medical bills and travel costs that these diseases/conditions/illnesses and complications have caused Von and his wife, Gail. 

Recently, beginning in early 2019, Von has faced numerous hospitalizations, incorrect diagnoses, surgeries, which, unfortunately led to more complications/infections and numerous near death situations due to the bone infection in his right foot.  Currently, The Charcot’s Foot and bone infection are causing extreme pain, resulting in the inability to walk. Von is confined to a wheelchair and extremely ill, struggling to make it day to day. 

After seeing numerous Dr’s from San Diego to New Mexico, Von was finally referred to one that was helping him deal with this condition. Unfortunately, this doctor/specialist abruptly stopped practicing medicine and this left Von in a life or death situation, due to the infection and medical problems that were untreatable by other podiatric specialists.

Barely hanging on to life, After an extensive search by healthcare professionals, Von’s mom and Gail and Von, they found a specialist who specialized in Von’s condition, and was willing and had openings to treat him, without resorting to a dual amputation of his lower legs. Unfortunately, this Dr. is located in Hewlett, New York, practicing with his specialized team, out of Mount Sinai Beth Israel, located in Manhattan, NY.  Von reached out to Dr. Gitlin (Limb Center of New York Foot and Ankle Surgery) and he responded with the guidance of either opting for an immediate amputation in NM or locating a surgeon willing to operate on his bone infection, but if he couldn’t find a surgeon, which he had already searched for, then he needed to opt for an immediate amputation of the infected right lower leg, due to having been on IV PICC line antibiotics for 2 months and the infection was still spreading. He said if Von could get to New York as soon as possible, he would evaluate Von’s condition and either perform emergency surgery or change his treatment to prevent the spreading infection from causing Von to pass away shortly.  Von and Gail flew out within a day or so to New York, went straight to the Dr., from the airport and the Dr. sent Von to the ER at Mount Sinai medical Center, to have emergency surgery to save his life and hopefully prevent his feet from being amputated, which was the only option with the numerous other doctors Von had seen. Due to COVID 19, gaining medical attention was pretty close to impossible and an on going struggle. Even New York had just reopened their surgical centers.
 
Von immediately went into surgery the day after arriving in New York with Dr. Gitlin and his Team to clean the infection in his foot and assess the situation. This first surgery was a success! Unfortunately, it is one of many that Von will need, to be able to treat BOTH of feet and regain his mobility! 

Dr. Gitlin’s goal is to SAVE VON’s ANKLES/LOWER LEGS and HIS LIFE! He feels confident that amputation is NOT needed with specialized treatment and multiple surgeries that his Team can perform and provide opportunity for VON TO WALK AGAIN after treatment completion! Additionally, Dr. Gitlin is confidant he can work around Von’s sensitive medical problems, which is his specialty and this is something that other doctor’s are not willing to tackle.

To date Von has incurred insurance copays, medication fees, etc. in the amount of approximately $10,765 and travel (lodging, rental car, food, etc.) to New York for he and Gail, in the amount of $1400. Future trips to New York will be necessary with Dr. Gitlin for future surgeries on both feet. 

All funds that we donate to Von will help to pay towards the co-pay medical bills that insurance does not cover.  Any donation that you are able to make, large or small, will help. Please share this on Facebook or Twitter so that we can spread the word as much as possible and get him the help he needs.  Von has always had struggles, which he dealt with and accepted as part of his life’s journey and has always been extremely generous with his time and help towards friends, family and anyone who needed his help, and now is the time when we can all help him out.

Von, Gail, and our families appreciate all the prayers, good energy, well wishes and financial kindness that y’all are sending Von’s way. As this Go Fund Me is only a brief peek into Vons struggles with these life-threatening illnesses. His condition and complications are extremely serious and require the best of the best in medical care to treat, hence Dr. Gitlin and his Team in New York. Ultimately, we are confident that VON WILL WALK AGAIN after numerous successful surgeries, specialized treatment and can live a normal, pain free life.

We appreciate your caring, love and generosity.

#VonsterHelm
#GiveUpYourLegsOrGiveUpYourLife
#SaveMyLimbs
#NewYorkNewYork
#Type1Diabetes
#CharcotFoot
#CharcotNeuroarthropathy
#CharcotArthropathy
#Amputation