A dad could DIE at any minute due to a rare condition – brought on by CHICKEN POX – which caused him to sleep for 22 hours a day.
Jonathan Sheldon, 39, was diagnosed with Addison’s disease, which means his body is unable to produce a certain chemical which is vital for survival.
His ordeal began after chicken pox triggered post viral fatigue – which leaves him too tired to lead a normal life.
But doctors are baffled as to why Jonathan hasn’t yet recovered, leaving him feeling “like a step above a vegetable”.
Jonathan said: “I feel like a step above a vegetable at the moment because some days I’m unable to do anything.
“It’s the last thing I ever expected to happen to me.
“It had been about 20 years since I’d seen a doctor – even though I’d always been into outdoor stuff. If I ever got injuries I’d just fix it myself.
“I don’t worry so much for myself. It’s the thought of my children losing a father. I think what it would be like for my children and my wife to go through that.
“It’s been tough to be broken down. To be untouchable, to be very healthy and now to feel like that.”
Jonathan was previously full of life until he contracted chicken pox, commonly found in children, in 2013.
As a result, he was later diagnosed with M.E – also known as chronic fatigue.
It is a long-term illness with a wide range of symptoms – the most prominent being a constant feeling of exhaustion.
Sufferers can be forced to sleep for huge amounts of time as they battle with the condition.
After months of being too tired to leave the house, he eventually started seeing signs of recovery and went back to work as a hedge-fund manager.
But due to the damage the condition had caused to his immune system, he picked up virus after virus.
But by 2015, he was collapsing daily and sweating excessively with extreme fatigue that left him feeling barely able to breathe – forcing him to give up work permanently.
Doctors diagnosed him with Addison’s disease – which affects 1 in 10,000 people and means the pituitary gland in the brain is damaged and does not produce the chemical cortisol.
This plays an essential role in regulating body functions and is necessary for survival – so he must top his own levels up when required.
If he does not have enough he could slip into a coma or even die.
When he is asleep he is unable to “listen to his body” to see if he needs more of the chemical – which could lead to his levels dropping dangerously low.
His wife Nicola, 40, has said they live “with the fear he will go to sleep and not wake up”.
Jonathan, from Billericay, Essex, said: “It’s the last thing I ever expected to happen to me. It’s been a downward spiral from the fatigue.
“It had been about 20 years since I’d seen a doctor – even though I’d always been into outdoor stuff. If I ever got injuries I’d just fix it myself.
“I don’t worry so much for myself. It’s the thought of my children losing a father. I think what it would be like for my children and my wife to go through that.
“It’s been tough to be broken down. To be untouchable, to be very healthy and now to feel like that.
“It’s been heart wrenching. Days like Christmas when I couldn’t see the kids open there presents. I even missed my daughter’s first birthday completely.
“You always hear people say that you never think it will happen to you. But you really bloody don’t.”
Before his illness Jonathan climbed mountains, loved working with dogs and was a keen martial arts practitioner.
He also formerly bred dogs and had two large Italian Mastiffs but now struggles with motor control in his arms and legs and suffers from nausea and light sensitivity.
His wife Nicola said: “He lives daily with the fear that he may sleep and not wake up, trying desperately to sleep only during the day when he can be monitored more closely.
“He’s scared of moving about when unsupervised in case he collapses and seriously hurts himself. Even simple trips to the toilet can be daunting for him.
“He’s the love of my life and it breaks my heart watching him struggle each day.
“It’s hard to watch such a strong man be reduced to an existence where he mostly watches or listens to life going on around him.
“Theoretically his medication should have stabilised him by now and he ‘should’ be leading a normal life.
“Doctors don’t understand why he isn’t.
“Upsettingly, Jonathan is in the minority and this elusive recovery hasn’t happened.”
Due to the debilitating condition leaving him unable to work, the dad-of-two has been forced to downsize his family home and sell many of his possessions.
Jonathan, who has a daughter Holland, three, and five-year-old son Harrison, said: “All of my life savings have been going on surviving. I’ve had to sell so many of of my possessions.
“We’re going to have to downsize the house. I feel like we’re gradually losing everything step by step.
“We’re just wanting there to be some hope in sight.”
Jonathan is determined to “break the back” of his illness in the hope he will be able to property interact with his children.
In April 2016 Jonathan went to sleep and slipped into a deadly coma, despite having followed medical advice.
Luckily his wife realised and frantically administered CPR as she waited for emergency services to arrive.
The family are worried that another time he might not survive – and are trying to raise £16,000 to train a medical assistance dog.
The dog would be able to prompt Jonathan to take his life-saving medication and could also alert someone if he goes into a coma.
Nicola added: “Despite him being there in body we desperately miss him being more involved in our lives.
“A medical assistance dog will allow Jonathan to stop living in fear, have a higher quality of life and take steps towards being more mobile.”
The Go Fund Me page has now raised over £8,000. To donate, visit: https://www.gofundme.com/medicalassistance-dog-for-jonathan
