Medical equipment and treatments

This is Tonya Whatley an amazing teacher and adventures environmental educator. She spent many years working as a science teacher before becoming an environmental educator for Aransas National wildlife refuge. She worked with biologists and other scientist to teach and study endangered species like the whooping crane and Hemp Ridleys sea turtles. One of her greatest memories was working with and showing live specimens of many animals including snakes, Texas horned lizards, alligators and butterflies. Her great love of the outdoors lead to her joining a new women's club called Texas Outdoor Woman's Network where she enjoyed many hours of working with and learning beside so many woman of other ways to get outside. Through volunteering building friendships she felt she was making a difference in connecting people to the outdoors and the fun adult play ground in our vast wild areas. A lover of a nature and all living things she also volunteered for beach clean ups, restoration projects (planting trees or building outdoor learning nature learning areas)! She loved the student groups most of all! Teaching merit badge classes to 1000 of boys scouts and girl scouts as well as other groups from kindergarten to retired volunteers. Tonya loved her time with people in nature and believed it to be the greatest career and a way of life. Never meeting a stranger and always ready with a smile she relished a moment to show others a how wonder bird watching could be. Teaching kayaking or fishing were also favorites. In 2006 while doing bird surveys she became ill with Lyme disease. The Lyme was thought to be in control until making a return with a vengeance. In 2013 Tonya became unable to walk and bedridden. An IV PICC line was put in for medications and a nurse come daily to help administer the medications . After two years of treatment and her inability to care for herself she was no longer able to do the job she loved so dearly. Tonya has two types of Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Tick Fever along with other ailments. She is hoping this next year will bring remission and some type of life again. Due to a very weak immune system and multiple symptoms she is limited to her ability to do everyday life. Many days are spent confined to a bed. There are a few costly medical devices, treatments and medications not covered by insurance that could greatly improve her quality of life. The medical copay and medicines not covered or on the plan have been a hardship on the family. As a longtime friend of Tonya and her family including her children. I have seen first hand what this debilitating disease can do not and the hardships it has caused. It can all change in a bite. Support Lyme research and vote for better guidelines and knowledge. Thank you in advance for your consideration and thank you for your prayers. Tonya's goal is when health improves is to work to improve Lyme disease education, prevention and treatments. I want to see her reach those goals so this amazing teacher can continue her journey through education and helping others . Life changes quickly, hug those you love! Thank you again and God bless!