Tessa is EDSsick Without Livelihood

Tessa is a member of our Georgia support group for people with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome , which is a degenerative and debilitating connective tissue disorder that affects every system in the body. EDS is also rare and very misunderstood in the medical community. On top of EDS she has tested positive for Chronic Lyme Disease. This requires special treatment as well that without insurance, her health will continue to decline.

Imagine if you had to face Tessa’s situation:

·     Loss of health insurance while being gravely ill

·     Loss of income

·     Dismissal from graduate school for being too sick

·     Denial of Disability coverage

·     Medicaid refusal to pay for doctors because EDS is so rare

·     Taking every money-making step possible including, but not limited to, selling her car

·     Very limited family support

·     Being single without a caregiver or partner

 These are desperate times for Tessa.

** Tessa needs help. Please donate what you can to help her, even if it’s just a dollar. Every bit matters. This site allows you to donate anonymously. Please continue reading below to get a glimpse into her difficulties. **   

Imagine having these health problems, with no idea how you’ll get through it:

·     After being diagnosed with EDS, in 2014 she had two major neurosurgeries to save her life… but now things are worsening, not improving.

·     A nodule was found on her thyroid. The growth has continued and is now larger than her thyroid, and is impairing her breathing.  Losing half of her thyroid would result in synthetic hormones for the rest of her life, which is very dangerous due to her EDS.

·     One of her neurosurgeries has created extra weight on her neck vertebrae, and her neck is collapsing. This means in the future she will continually need more fusions.

·     Her only medical option is to try physical therapy to delay surgery as long as possible. This is the only option that might keep her out of a wheelchair (which is another one of her many needed purchases). BUT since she lost her insurance, she can’t get PT.

·     She’s trying to find holistic and alternative ways to help shrink the growth on her thyroid. It costs upwards of $400 a month to pay for medication and supplements. She needs these to maintain weight enough to avoid hospitalization and getting a feeding tube, due to her gastroparesis.

 

Despite her situation, Tessa continues to be active in our online community support group. She has amazing knowledge and is one of our go-to people when we reach out for help and questions. She gives and gives. She has touched many hearts and has picked many of us up when we’ve fallen and don’t know how to stand. We, in her community, want to do what we can to give back to this incredible woman. We feel scared for her and helpless. Please help us in our efforts to raise whatever money we can to help her.

NOTE: The Facebook profile picture is not Tessa's. It's from the page creator's profile.