Music is 22-year-old Lindsey Lewis’ life. It’s not just a part of it. Next to her faith, it’s the most important thing in her life.
Lindsey started playing piano at six years old. She picked up Classical Guitar at eight and began studying with Sabine Madriguera, Director of Guitar Studies at Collin College, at 10 years old. She studied with her until she went away to college. Lindsey studied guitar, cello and piano at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Dallas. She became the Principal Cellist in the Varsity, Waltz, and Full Orchestras as a sophomore. She was composing and arranging full orchestral scores by her junior year.
“We moved to Richardson in 1997 when Lindsey was four years old,” said Jacqui Lewis, Lindsey’s mother. “She attended Stinson Elementary and Murphy Middle School. She would have attended Williams High School but she was accepted into Booker T. Washington. I taught Geometry at Williams for four years. Lindsey also played in the Backyard Band at The Heights Baptist Church in Richardson from sixth thru 11th grade. “
While her passion is music, a mysterious illness is killing her dream. In the summer of 2009, Lindsey began to have terrible pain and spasms in her pelvis, legs and hips. Despite many tests, doctors have not been able to find the cause of the pain.
“On New Year’s Eve 2009, Lindsey fell when she tried to get out of bed,” said Jacqui. “She couldn’t get up or stand. We took her to Children’s Medical Center Dallas. After many tests, and no diagnosis, they released her and prescribed physical rehabilitation.”
After graduating in 2011 from Booker T. Washington, Lindsey enrolled as an Honors College student in Classical Guitar Music Performance at the University of Southern Mississippi with both music and academic scholarships. She started playing cello in the University of Southern Mississippi Symphony Orchestra.
During Lindsey’s sophomore year of college, she had to give up cello, guitar and piano because the pain in her pelvis was too intense to play.
“We went to many doctors…neurologists, rheumatologists, pain doctors, etc. but no one could help her,” continued Jacqui. “Lindsey changed her major to Music Theory and continued to excel in her studies. She worked as the Librarian for the Meridian Symphony Orchestra, taught guitar and cello lessons, and tutored other students.
Since the first spasms of 2009, Lindsey has lived with pain every day of her life. She had to get up two hours before class to do an hour of physical therapy, and then do an hour of recovery after therapy, just to make it through the day.
“When Lindsey first got sick in high school she had to give up her instruments for a long time and it literally felt like a death,” said Jacqui. “She sobbed as she sat outside the orchestra rehearsals because she wanted to be a part of it. After hours and hours of physical therapy, she eventually was able to play the guitar again, but could not practice the number of hours needed to go to a major conservatory.”
After her sophomore year of college, Lindsey was in so much pain and became so physically weak that she had to give up her instruments again and change her major. Once again, she went through a terrible grieving process.
Lindsey's greatest dream growing up was to become an international missionary and build youth orchestras in underprivileged countries. She played for years in church orchestras and student ministry bands. She even had the opportunity to play with Casting Crowns when she was 16 years old.
“During her senior year of college, Lindsey began to limp and she would have moments of sudden paralysis,” explained Jacqui. “After a few falls, she started using a crutch. She finished the first semester using a walker. By December she was in a wheelchair because her legs could not support her at all. Our very independent and brilliant daughter had to drop out of college and move back home. She was devastated as she wanted to go to graduate school. By late September 2015, she started to have weakness and sudden paralysis in her arms.
Many doctors of different disciplines have examined and treated Lindsey. She’s had multiple spinal taps, MRIs, x-rays, endless blood tests, EMGs, CT Scans and exploratory surgery. But a clear diagnosis remains a mystery.
“Last summer she was diagnosed with an infection related to Lyme Disease and Hypogammaglobulinemia,” said Jacqui. “She was put on IV antibiotics for months, but she didn’t get any better. She receives monthly IVIG infusions, but still no improvement. She’s suffering from debilitating migraine headaches that force her to lie still in a dark room with no sound. We fear we’re losing her to a disease or illness that no doctor can find or treat. Maybe it’s due to an environmental toxin, insect bite, vaccine injury, or pesticide that her body just can’t handle, but no one can figure it out.”
Meanwhile, Lindsey’s health continues to deteriorate and conventional medicine seems to have no answers. Lindsey’s so weak that she is completely bedridden in excruciating pain.
Pilots for Christ, a non-profit organization that transports patients for medical care, recommended taking her to the Hansa Center, an advanced alternative medicine clinic in Wichita, Kansas.
“They told us about several people they’ve taken to Hansa and how amazed they were at the improvement in their health. We’ve talked with the parents of two young women with similar symptoms who traveled all over the U.S. looking for answers. They were at the end of all hope when they found Hansa. And both families told us their daughters are now doing great!”
Pilots for Christ has offered to fly Lindsey and her family back and forth to Hansa for free. But the family would need to fund the medical treatment.
“Lindsey’s medical care has depleted our finances. Our insurance won’t pay for treatment at Hansa, which is estimated to be more than $16,000. We also have to pay for supplements, lab work, accommodations for four weeks, and car rental. We estimate it will cost $23,000 for Lindsey to receive treatment in Kansas. It’s a small price to pay to save our daughter’s life, yet we just don’t have the money.”
A GoFundMe account has been set up to help offset the costs of Lindsey’s treatment. To donate, please go to https://www.gofundme.com/cvw2scvc
For a glimpse of her passion, check out a video of Lindsey’s classical guitar solo from 2009 at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jdfDs61zLg
Or watch the video of her eighth grade jazz trio performance at the 2007 Murphy Middle School Talent Show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09LxrTlLFnM&ebc=ANyPxKp4phb4i-wwa--WngozPRhdhxHrQlNkq5sJkkQv1ysu2HlGUeGBCjGmap0L-9URuFkAvFm2Z0T5NP-RtVxif3LZ5d11RQ (Lindsey is in the middle on guitar, wearing the black cap.)
More information about Pilots for Christ is available at http://www.pilotsforchrist.org
Since 1995, the Hansa Center for Optimum Health, P.A. has been leading the way in the most technologically advanced natural healthcare. More info at http://hansacenter.com