Help Us Ease the Pain — One Soak at a Time
Hi, my name is Jeffrey, and I’m reaching out on behalf of my wife Julie and myself. We’ve been married since 2013, and over the last decade, arthritis has slowly—and then suddenly—changed the way we live every single day.
Our Story
I’m 54 and Julie is 55. We’re both strong-willed people, but arthritis doesn’t care about that. I’ve lived with osteoarthritis in both knees for over 15 years—my left knee is now bone-on-bone—and I have degenerating discs in my lower back. Julie started having arthritis flareups after our son was born in 2015, and now deals with arthritis in her knees, lower back, and hands.
I had to stop working and go on SSDI in 2019. Julie still teaches preschool—despite the pain—because she loves the kids and they adore her. But on her worst days, even playing the piano at church becomes difficult.
Pain affects everything. I don’t walk well. I don’t sleep well. My muscles are always tight from stress and misalignment. Constant pain is exhausting. Julie has days when she can’t do much of anything because her body just won’t let her. Even the simplest tasks take so much more energy and time than they should.
We’ve tried anti-inflammatories, steroid/gel injections, OTC pain meds—nothing really lasts. We refuse to take narcotics. Heat helps, but nothing compares to the relief we’ve both felt on the rare occasions we’ve used a hot tub.
Why a Hot Tub?
A therapeutic hot tub wouldn’t just be a comfort—it would be a lifeline. When I’ve used one in the past, it relaxed my muscles, soothed my joints, and helped me sleep for the first time in weeks. Julie says the same. We believe that being able to soak in a hot tub daily would reduce our pain, improve our sleep, restore our energy, and give us a better shot at getting through each day with a little more peace.
What we’re asking for isn’t luxury. It’s the ability to do the things pain has taken from us—like walking the dog, playing with our boys, going for a stroll together, or doing the woodworking I once loved. It’s about rest, relief, and a few precious pain-free moments together.
What We’re Asking For:
We’re hoping to raise $10,000 to cover:
A therapeutic hot tub large enough for the two of us to stretch out comfortably
Electrical hookup (approx. $300)
A concrete slab foundation (labor discounted by our generous neighbor)
Delivery and setup (included in the price)
We’re on a fixed income, and we simply don’t have the resources to make this happen ourselves. We’re asking for this to be 100% donor funded, and every dollar will go directly to the cost of the hot tub and installation.
Why It Matters
We have five kids, ages 10 to 32, and a good dog named Max. I’d love nothing more than to walk with him again. Or to dance with my wife. Or to play guitar on Sundays without aching afterward. We’re active in our church—we volunteer at food giveaways, clean-up days, and help others whenever we can with whatever we can.
Even with our pain, we keep giving. We just need a little help ourselves now.
If you’ve ever lived with chronic pain—or watched someone you love suffer through it—you know how draining it can be. This hot tub would give us a tool to fight back. To find relief. To restore some of what arthritis has taken from us.
As the Bible reminds us in Philippians 4:13,
“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
That includes asking for help when we need it.
Thank you for reading our story. If you’re able to give, we’re grateful. If you’re able to share, that helps too. If all you can offer is a prayer—that’s more than enough.
With love and thanks,
Jeffrey & Julie
