Alexis Zemball's Story......

Hello,  my name is Jamie...... I am Lexie's mom.  I am please asking for help to perform a sugery that will change my daughters life around so she will be able to enjoy life quite a bit more at the young age of 19.  Since she was 8 years old she has had many many health issues that a child should never have to go through.   She has what they call Hypothalmic Obesity.  Her pituitary gland and her hypothalmus gland in her brain do not work correctly.  She produces no hormones at all, she has insulin resistance,  and her thyroid does not work.  She is on many medications to treat the symptoms of this disorder, including daily injections... but there is no cure.  Through the years it has been a constant struggle physically, emotionally and finacially.   I have paid for and gone to almost every single visit and provided for all health care for her.   It is becoming more and more difficult for her on a daily basis.... physically and emotionally and she just can't take it any more.   If you have ever met My Lexie you would never know how much sadness she is burdened with or how she is judged and bullied by so many because she is such a free spirit and loves everyone.  She is well know for volunteering so much of her time to our community through the years and just makes everyone smile.  I work at an HCA facility and have their insurance.  The physician that will be doing the procedure is at Halifax hospital, he is the TRAUMA surgeon and my mother woks with him quite frequently in the OR as a first assist RN.  She has worked there for many many years and knows EVERYONE that will be in for Lexie's procedure.  While the Doctor is in network, Halifax is not, because we have HCA provided healthcare.  We have paid for all of the items on the checklist that had to be completed before she could be put on the surgery schedule because someone offered to pay cash for the surgery, but we all know how sometimes things change.  Lexie muttled through countless appointments and testing to get everything done only to find out that now she would have to go to another doctor because we can not afford to pay for the surgery at Halifax.  The closest doctors being in Tampa or Jacksonville.  Week before last if you are my friend on facebook, you would see how awful her routine endoscopy went for her and I.  It was so scary.  I decided then that  NO MATTER what we have to do....... we are not delaying her surgery any longer and we will find a way to make it happen.  She had to be intubated for the endoscopy as I sat out of the room in a chair right outside the door and listened to her cries, listened to the alarms going off, listening to them tell me they could not get her intubated, listening to everything and just felt like my world was crashing.  I am a nurse.  I am aware of how hard and scary this would be for us.  I listened as they took the breathing tube out and heard her screaming and crying that she couldn't breathe.  I knew then that there was absolutely NO WAY that we would go to ANYONE else besides Dr. Sebastein.  The people that were in the room for her procedure were co-workers,   I trusted them.  They knew me and comforted me and best of all they took care of my baby.  I am please asking for help in any amount that will help her get this surgery.  No amount is to small.   I have been told by many that setting up a go fund me was crazy, but I can't listen.  EVERYONE Loves Lexie.  In just a couple days of mentioning it on Facebook I got so many inbox messages asking me how people could help.  Say a prayer.  Leave some positive thoughts.  I want my baby back.  I want her to not tell me that she cries every night and every morning because it is just hard to do everyday things.  I want her to not have people judge her and make fun of her all of the time because of her weight. I want her to live a full life. 

Thank you so much for listening.  Will you please share this in the hopes that maybe we can raise enough money to get this surgery done soon. 

Jamie