HELP MIKE KNOCK OUT PARKINSON’S DISEASE! Mike Poppoff has always been strong, confident, a hard worker, and an amazing human, helping so many over many years in so many ways. Now, Mike needs our help! For the past 13 years I’ve had the pleasure of loving him. He and I have overcome multiple heart issues and surgeries, a near-fatal tick bite, 3 now confirmed strokes, a broken leg with near-fatal sepsis, and now these past few years, a slew of awful, unexplained symptoms. In November, we finally received a diagnosis: Parkinson’s Disease. A progressive, neurodegenerative, and eventually terminal disorder caused when the brain quits producing dopamine. There is no cure, but there are many things that can be done to treat symptoms and slow and hopefully halt progression. Parkinson’s Disease is difficult enough to handle and impossible to slow down without the proper treatments. Mike has given so much to so many that he doesn’t just deserve a lack of care, or even the bare minimum. He deserves the best. But due to complete financial strain, we have had to postpone appointments and prescriptions, and already cancel an MRI he should’ve had, because despite insurance, his co-pay is $300.

He has 3 Dr. appointments a month, which have ranged from $30-$170 co-pay each appointment. He needs a very specialized diet, but honestly, we are absolutely struggling to even buy food and keep the lights on these days. Movement is frontline treatment in treating PD, so the most urgent need now is to get him immediately enrolled into an amazing Parkinson’s boxing program highly recommended for Parkinson’s. It is $200 to get him enrolled, then $80 a month. Mike is still on a trial and error ride with his Dr. trying to adjust the medicine. The medicines she wants him on that have fewer side effects are not covered by insurance and are $800 a month, so that is not an option at this time. Sometimes the current med helps, sometimes it makes him more sick. Severe anxiety, depression, and behavioral changes are symptoms he developed before the first tremor. This led to a lot of misdiagnosis the past few years. He also has complete loss of smell which began many years ago (now, we know that was the first symptom). He now needs to see the eye Dr. and get new glasses because his vision is changing, and then needs to be seen by an audiologist for hearing loss. Financial insecurity is a huge trigger for Mike’s anxiety, which in turn increases his Parkinson’s symptoms. He just needs some help so he can focus solely on staying healthy. He has worked so hard on his mental state and anxiety-reducing techniques, and I already see the positive effects on his physical symptoms. This gives us great hope that we will finally get him to a place where he is shrinking the Parkinson’s more than it has been shrinking our world. We are so grateful to each and every one of our family and friends who have been there to surround us with help, prayers, love, and support. We wouldn’t have made it this far without being carried at times. Any support, whether through donation, or simply sharing this page would mean so much to Mike and all who love him, and for your continued love and support. We know this is a long road, but we are grateful, and taking it one day, sometimes one moment at a time. Let’s all #helpmikeknockoutparkinsons