Those who know Connor well know he has become increasingly ill over the last several years. What started as smaller gastrointestinal issues, hip pain, and fatigue slowly became something much, much bigger: Chronic Lyme Disease. Currently, he is almost completely debilitated and unable to work. At only 30 years old, arthritic pain has spread to every joint in his body. The burning pain and constant popping make it impossible for him to sit a certain way, lay down in certain positions, or drive, sit, and stand for more than a short period of time. Neurologically, he has extreme fatigue, POTS, dysautonomia, severe brain fog, numbness and tingling in his extremities, muscle twitching, vision problems, dizziness and imbalance, nausea, radiating body pain, consistent headaches, poor memory, inability to concentrate, crippling neck pain, and high anxiety. These often prevent him from getting through a whole day without several naps, and make it difficult to hold conversations or focus on the simplest of tasks. What may be the scariest of all his daily symptoms are his heart issues. He has been to the ER on numerous occasions for trouble breathing, chest pain, and heart palpitations after even the slightest bit of physical exertion. He has blacked out and has even fainted after experiencing these symptoms, so he stopped doing anything that may initiate them. And last, but not least, are gastrointestinal issues. The only foods that don’t make him terribly ill are chicken, rice, and select fruits and vegetables. These foods have to be certain brands and have to be checked for any unwanted additives, preservatives and ingredients to prevent severe flare-ups. In the last 10 years, our family has spent tens of thousands of dollars trying to figure out what has been deteriorating his health. Connor has seen over 30 medical professionals ranging from family physicians, ER doctors, gastroenterologists, pulmonologists, cardiologists, rheumatologists, functional medicine practitioners, dietitians and nutritionists, surgeons, gut health coaches, naturopathic doctors, and more. Despite Connor’s efforts to seek answers from these professionals, he has received very few, until now. While living in California, Connor has begun to get answers to questions we’ve had for so long about his mysterious illness. In April, he was diagnosed with multiple tick-borne illnesses, including Lyme. While his road to remission is long and complicated, we are grateful to finally have direction. However, we need a lot of help. The most urgent need right now is financial assistance. Because of the complexity & corruption behind Chronic Lyme Disease, none of his visits or treatments are covered by insurance. These treatments could include long-term antibiotics, expensive holistic treatments, countless supplements and possibly a trip to Germany for hyperthermia treatment. He is also moving across the country to be closer to family so that we can better support him through his treatment. Because of Connor’s complex chronic case, he will be seeing one of the leading experts and a bestselling author in the field of Lyme Disease, Dr. Steven Phillips. His first consultation alone is $2,500. Typical treatment for a Chronic Lyme Patient ranges from $100,000 - $150,000 per person, at a minimum. Many individuals pay much more, some over $250,000. It is unknown how much treatment he will need to achieve remission or how much financial help will be needed. It is also possible Connor may need to revisit treatment if any relapses occur later down the road. We feel this amount covers immediate needs and gives us a safety net in the event relapsing causes a need for more treatment later on. Lyme has taken so much from Connor and robbed most of his twenties, but he is determined to fight for his life back and eventually use his experiences to help others in the Lyme community. If you cannot help financially and would still like to support Connor and our family, one meaningful way is through prayer. We still believe God is in control and will use all of this for good. We will be creating a Facebook group to keep people updated about Connor’s journey. Another great way to support us is to research Chronic Lyme Disease and inform others about this complex and misunderstood disease. Unfortunately, a look at mainstream websites such as the CDC, NIH, and Mayo paints a misleading picture of Lyme Disease. Therefore, below is a list of documentaries and other credible resources that explain the complexity and controversy surrounding Chronic Lyme Disease. If you would like to give directly to Connor, you can do so at People’s Bank and Trust in Pana, Illinois. The account name is titled, “Connor Trexler Benefit Fund”. https://www.ilads.org/research-literature/controversies-challenges/ https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yNtfJ5e5Bjtnr7gw2vyOlWnpunkTQdK1/view https://www.lymedisease.org/lyme-basics/lyme-disease/chronic-lyme-disease/ Documentaries 1. The Quiet Epidemic (rental on Apple TV or Prime Video) 2. Under Our Skin 1 & 2 (2 part doc found on Prime Video or their website) 3. The Monster Inside Me (can watch for free here: https://odysee.com/@SpiralWeb:e/The.Monster.Inside.Me.2024.VOSTFR.1080p.WEB-DL.AVC.H264.MPEG-4p10.AAC:4) 4. I’m Not Crazy, I’m Sick (rental on Apple TV or Prime Video) 5. The Red Ring (rental on Apple TV )
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