The man behind the wildly popular Pittsburgh history-based Facebook page “The Odd, Mysterious & Fascinating History of Pittsburgh” has shared some serious medical issues he has been dealing with recently.
John Schalcosky of the North Hills, says the past six months have been a challenge for him.
He’s had to deal with two episodes of Guillain-Barre Syndrome, that affects the person’s nerves. It causes weakness and tingling in parts of the body.
In Schalcosky’s case, his hands and arms were paralyzed in March and then another bout in October.
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After that, he continued to deal with severe pain on a daily basis. After several autoimmune tests were conducted, he was diagnosed with IBS and severe Ulcerative Colitis.
The issues have left him largely bedridden, in pain during that time.
The issues have taken a toll on his body. He’s now down to 145lbs, losing 50 pounds in the past months.
On Monday, Schalcosky posted on Facebook that he is currently hospitalized and is facing emergency surgery for issues related to his condition.
His medical issues have prevented him from doing what he loves, sharing the stories of Pittsburgh and it’s people to everyone.
“My inability to respond to messages and inquiries has been a source of personal regret, as my energy levels have been severely impacted,” said Schalcosky.
For more than half a decade, Schalcosky has used Odd Pittsburgh to share stories about nine-foot giants living in Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh being the real birthplace of aviation, countless ghost stories, forgotten tales of the area, rare photos and so much more.
Schalcosky has never asked for any financial assistance in his research but with mounting medical bills, he is reaching out for the first time:
I ask for your understanding if I'm unable to reply to comments or messages during this time. Historically, I have never sought financial assistance for personal reasons or for Odd Pittsburgh.
However, faced with significant medical expenses, I am humbly reaching out for any support you might offer towards my recovery. Contributions via CashApp/Venmo/Paypal (@oddpittsburgh) would be deeply appreciated during this trying time.
In addition to his Facebook page, Odd Pittsburgh has been featured in magazines, newspapers, podcasts, and on KDKA Radio where he also hosted The Pittsburgh Oddcast.