Elks to raise funds for Greencastle native with rapid decline ALS

Monday, November 29, 2021
Nate and Niki Milburn with their sons Miles and Maguire. Nate was recently diagnosed with rapid decline ALS.
Courtesy photo

The Greencastle Elks Lodge is helping out a family with local ties that recently received some devastating news.

Greencastle native Nathan Milburn was recently diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) with rapid decline. To underscore what “rapid decline” means, Nate, 42, was still working and going about his life at the beginning of November and now must be on a ventillator because his diaphragm has stopped functioning.

Nate and wife Niki, daughter of Scott and Patricia Hoover, reside in Georgia with their two sons, Miles and Maguire.

On Friday, Dec. 3, the Greencastle Elks Lodge will have live music featuring Steve St. Pierre and use the night as an opportunity for the lodge and the community to help out the Milburns.

Aside from the live band and a 50/50 raffle, the lodge is also looking to raffle off some baskets that evening as another way of raising funds.

The event, set for 6-10 p.m., is open to the public and will be smoke-free.

While there is no cover charge, any funds raised by the lodge on Friday will go to support the Milburns.

Anyone interested in making a basket donation may contact Matt Helmer at 720-9505.

In addition to the music and raffles, the Hogg Wild Barbecue truck will also be at the lodge on Friday.

“This is a great family that needs our help and I know our community and members will answer the call,” Helmer said.

Following his diagnosis, Nate spent 17 days in the ICU before coming home, still needing constant care, about a week ago.

“We are bringing him home on ventilator as he can no longer breathe on his own,” Niki Milburn said in a Nov. 22 Facebook post. “We want to enjoy time together as a family. I will have to hire private nursing care, a respiratory therapist, among other medical supplies and equipment (a lot we have bought already). I will be the primary caregiver, though, with help from family.”

In a later post, Niki notes the outpouring of financial support the family has already received, some of which has already been used to buy critical pieces of equipment, such as medical supplies and even a generator in case the power goes out.

“Unfortunately, Nate’s ALS disease progressed extremely quickly, affecting his diaphragm first,” Niki explained. “Most times, ALS starts in the legs and arms and the respiratory failure comes last. So, instead of three to five years to plan for what the diagnosis held for our future, we were thrown into the deep end within weeks.”

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  • I was diagnosed with bulbar ALS in the summer of 2019; My initial symptoms were quite noticeable. I first experienced weakness in my right arm and my speech and swallowing abilities were profoundly affected. The Rilutek (riluzole) did very little to help me. The medical team at the ALS clinic did even less. My decline was rapid and devastating.if it were not for the sensitive care and attention of my primary physician I would have been deceased,There has been little if any progress in finding a cure or reliable treatment. Acupuncture eased my anxiety a bit. Our primary physician recommended me to www. kycuyuhealthclinic. com and their amazing ALS treatment. My symptoms including muscle weakness, slurred speech and difficulty swallowing disappeared after 4 months treatment!  The herbal treatment is a sensation.

    -- Posted by rickyankkley on Tue, Dec 7, 2021, at 1:59 AM
  • Hope this is allowed here if not I understand. My husband was diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) when he was 63 years old 4 years ago. The Rilutek (riluzole) did very little to help him. The medical team did even less. His decline was rapid and devastating. His arms weakened first, then his hands and legs. He resorted to a wheelchair (Perbombil C300). A year ago, I began to do a lot of research and came across Health Herbs Clinic, I decided to start him on the ALS herbal protocol as I had nothing else to turn to; 2 months into treatment he improved dramatically. At the end of the full treatment course, the disease is totally under control. No case of dementia, hallucination, weakness, muscle pain and he is even learning to Walk again. visit www healthherbsclinic c o m

    -- Posted by LauraQuayle on Mon, Jul 4, 2022, at 10:43 AM
  • My grandma has Lou Gehrig’s disease, she is about 75 years old it was diagnosed 2 years ago. Right now it’s getting more difficult to live for her, because of stiff muscles she can’t even move. Riluzole and Edaravone medicines are given, but won"t give much relief. She can"t eat food without choking. I thought this might be the last stage and the medications she was given did not help at all, so I started to do alot of research on natural treatments, I was introduced to Health Natural Centre and their ALS Herbal Protocol. She started on the ALS/MND Treatment last year, her symptoms gradually diminished including her vocal cord spasm, Body Weakness and Difficulty with swallowing. Reach them at healthnaturalcentre.org , She is getting active again since starting this treatment, she is able to walk again ( down the street and back )she have also resumed exercising to strengthen muscles!! God Bless all ALS Caregivers. Stay Strong, take small moments throughout the day to thank yourself, to love your self, and pray to whatever faith, star, spiritual force you believe in and ask for strength. I can personally vouch for these remedy but you would probably need to decide what works best for you.

    -- Posted by verinicamckall on Sat, Mar 4, 2023, at 12:36 PM
  • I stopped most of my ALS medications due to severe side effects and I started on herbal treatments from Natural Herbs Centre ( natural herbs centre ), the treatment has made a very huge difference for me. My symptoms including body weakness and Swallowing difficulties disappeared after few months on the treatment. I am getting active again since starting this treatment. I no longer use a feeding tube

    -- Posted by amylarder7 on Fri, Jun 16, 2023, at 8:58 AM
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