Working Toward Continuing Treatment
- Apr 15, 2022
- 3 min read
Our incredible friend April Ervin has been battling Chronic Lyme Disease for over two decades but was only officially diagnosed in September 2017 after months of symptoms that baffled doctors. Part of the reason Lyme Disease is so difficult to treat, especially in its advanced stages, is that it impacts every system in the body. Because of this, our previously energetic, spontaneous, and independent friend has seen her life turned upside down.
Things many of us might take for granted like work are now impossible for April due to the daily effects of Lyme and the overwhelming fatigue, joint pain, digestive issues, and cognitive deterioration (“brain fog”) she experiences. Even her efforts to get well are impacted, and she can no longer go to doctor’s appointments on her own because driving is unsafe as a result of slowed processing speed and reaction times, as well as neurological issues - and the impact Lyme has had on her comprehension and memory necessitate another person in the exam rooms with her. All told, April is no longer able to work, take part in church activities, spend time with friends or family, or live on her own.
This would be hard for anyone to deal with for any length of time, and this has been April’s daily life for over two decades. Despite this, she has soldiered on, and, miraculously, never given up hope, even when previous treatments have failed.
If you’ve ever met April, you know she is joyful, full of life, and loves people. We would love to see her get well again so that she can regain so many of the things lost to this illness. She dreams of being able to have a family, take part in ministry, be with friends, work, and even simply drive again. We dream of coming together to help her achieve this.
Over the 2years, April has had the opportunity to work with a highly renowned medical expert in Lyme Disease, who completed a series of assessments, scans, and medical tests. Ultimately, he prescribed a course of treatment he has seen work, even in complicated and long-term cases such as April’s. Realistically, this treatment represents April’s best chance at achieving remission from Chronic Lyme Disease. Through this specialist, April took nine months to stabilize her body (which has been in crisis for a long time) in preparation for this intensive treatment protocol.
As she approaches almost a year through this IV therapy, April has made great strides and improvements with her health. Unfortunately, completing treatment still comes with a downside: it is not covered by insurance and is expensive. Not only has she spent the last five years aggressively treating this disease with a variety of treatments (which were similarly not covered by insurance), April has already amassed a lifetime worth of medical expenses and debt. Through the support of so many already, April only has only a couple more months of the IV phase of treatment. We are continuing to rally around April to help her complete this treatment - and we know she would do the same for us.
Below is an itemized list of the costs associated with this treatment over the nine months it will take. Because not fully treating a bacterial infection enables the bacteria to become resistant to the medicine in the future.
*Out of Pocket Cost Associated with 3 Month IV Treatment Protocol 2022:
D.C. Specialist Appointments, IV & Special Medications: $24, 000
Travel Expenses to & from Washington, D.C.: $1,230
LR Bags & IV Zofran Bags: $537
Tubing: $225
Saline Flushes & Heparin: $180
Bandage Kit: $759
Daily Supplemental Medication: $4,413
Counseling/Dietician/Reflexologist: $1,915
-> 3 MONTH TOTAL: $33,379
Please consider donating to this cause - we can think of no one more deserving, and time is of the essence. Any amount you are able to contribute moves April closer to being able to continue this treatment. Please also pray for healing, provision, peace, and wisdom as she navigates this process.
If you want to follow along with April’s journey, follow her blog at feelinglymie.com or continue to check back here for updates.
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