BrookeLynn's Medical Expenses
Donation protected
Brooke is a freshman at Wethersfield High School. She is the 2016 Jr. Miss Stark County Queen. For years Brooke was active in cheer, basketball, track, soccer, chorus, band, scholastic team, Girl Scouts, 4-H, and local pageants. In 2015 all that changed for Brooke as she began to feel unusually tired and continually dizzy. She then began having severe chest pain, pain in her joints, and a headache that didn't go away. Yet no one could give the family answers. Although her family doctor was sympathetic, he didn't understand what was going on either. He ordered test after test and everything was coming back with normal results. In the meantime, Brooke's health was deteriorating day by day.
Brooke's silent battle continued into the spring of 2016. Brooke was trying to go on with her daily life but, in reality, she was spending days in bed with hours of pain. A follow up CT scan revealed enlarged lymph nodes in her neck and abdomen that led to a referral with another specialist. Due to the history of a tumor in Brooke's abdomen in 2012 that resulted in the removal of Brooke's appendix and part of her colon, the specialist confirmed a biopsy needed to be performed. Optimistic that the biopsy would be negative, he looked Brooke in the eye and said I don't have all the answers or any magic cures but I have a really good idea what is going on. By this point, Brooke had seen more than a dozen doctors and remembers feeling this was the first doctor to reassure her that this was not all in her head. Her body was malfunctioning and her pain was real.
The biopsy came back normal and answers were finally starting to come. In May 2016, Brooke was diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) caused by an autoimmune disorder. There were feelings of relief to finally have a diagnosis but no idea what was in store as the battle didn't end there. Brooke has spent the past 11 months in and out of the children's hospital under the consult of many specialists. She has had numerous treatments including Plasmapheresis, IVIG, immunosuppressant medications, biological response therapy, and chemo in attempts to get her immune system back on track. Unfortunately, Brooke developed anaphylactic reactions to the biological medication and chemo, in addition she had adverse reactions to IVIG, making this a complex case. The Plasmapheresis treatments in May and September 2016 where challenging but did help resolve the chest pain for a couple months. Her body has not responded as well to the most recent Plasmapheresis treatments in February 2017.
Brooke is now going to Chicago this month to receive a special infusion and stem cell treatment. The treatments Brooke will receive is NOT covered by insurance. Even with some of the fees being waived, the treatment is still expected to cost $5000 - $6000. It is unclear at this point how long Brooke will stay in Chicago or how many trips to Chicago will need to be made. Funds are needed immediately to help the family with medical costs as well as travel expenses.
POTS is a form of Dysautonomia associated with excessive tachycardia, pain, and many other symptoms when standing. In layman terms, it is an illness of literally fighting gravity every day. POTS HURTS! Blood pools in the limbs and does not efficiently get back to the heart and brain. When the brain does not get proper blood flow, it sends out signals to kick start things. There is no cure for POTS or one specific treatment for POTS. Every patient is a unique case and the treatment is often trial and error. Brooke suffers from heart palpitations, tachycardia, chronic fatigue, dizziness, chest pain, constant headache/migraines with aura, difficulty regulating temperature, pain in her neck, shoulders, back, elbows, hips, knees, and ankles. Again, POTS HURTS!
Although the months leading up to the diagnosis of POTS seemed very long, Brooke was fortunate to get a diagnosis whereas many suffer and go years without the proper diagnosis. POTS is a life altering and debilitating condition. Symptoms can come on suddenly and tend to be intensified in the morning. There are periods of flares that can last months and other times when the symptoms are able to be better managed. To this day many people look at this beautiful girl and have no idea what is going on in her body. On the outside the person may look "fine" but on the inside their body is running a marathon.
More information about Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome can be found on the Dysautonomia International websitehttp://www.dysautonomiainternational.org/page.php?ID=30
NOTICE:
BrookeLynn Montgomery is my brother's granddaughter. I have set the account up as a service to her family. All money will be directly deposited into the "Brooke Montgomery Medical Fund" at the State Bank of Toulon, Toulon, IL, under the control of her mother, Shelly (Smith) Montgomery.
I, Patricia S. Edwards, confirm that all content on my GoFundMe site is 100% true and accurate, and I am in no way attempting to mislead or defraud any of my site’s visitors.
Patricia (Smith) Edwards
Brooke's silent battle continued into the spring of 2016. Brooke was trying to go on with her daily life but, in reality, she was spending days in bed with hours of pain. A follow up CT scan revealed enlarged lymph nodes in her neck and abdomen that led to a referral with another specialist. Due to the history of a tumor in Brooke's abdomen in 2012 that resulted in the removal of Brooke's appendix and part of her colon, the specialist confirmed a biopsy needed to be performed. Optimistic that the biopsy would be negative, he looked Brooke in the eye and said I don't have all the answers or any magic cures but I have a really good idea what is going on. By this point, Brooke had seen more than a dozen doctors and remembers feeling this was the first doctor to reassure her that this was not all in her head. Her body was malfunctioning and her pain was real.
The biopsy came back normal and answers were finally starting to come. In May 2016, Brooke was diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) caused by an autoimmune disorder. There were feelings of relief to finally have a diagnosis but no idea what was in store as the battle didn't end there. Brooke has spent the past 11 months in and out of the children's hospital under the consult of many specialists. She has had numerous treatments including Plasmapheresis, IVIG, immunosuppressant medications, biological response therapy, and chemo in attempts to get her immune system back on track. Unfortunately, Brooke developed anaphylactic reactions to the biological medication and chemo, in addition she had adverse reactions to IVIG, making this a complex case. The Plasmapheresis treatments in May and September 2016 where challenging but did help resolve the chest pain for a couple months. Her body has not responded as well to the most recent Plasmapheresis treatments in February 2017.
Brooke is now going to Chicago this month to receive a special infusion and stem cell treatment. The treatments Brooke will receive is NOT covered by insurance. Even with some of the fees being waived, the treatment is still expected to cost $5000 - $6000. It is unclear at this point how long Brooke will stay in Chicago or how many trips to Chicago will need to be made. Funds are needed immediately to help the family with medical costs as well as travel expenses.
POTS is a form of Dysautonomia associated with excessive tachycardia, pain, and many other symptoms when standing. In layman terms, it is an illness of literally fighting gravity every day. POTS HURTS! Blood pools in the limbs and does not efficiently get back to the heart and brain. When the brain does not get proper blood flow, it sends out signals to kick start things. There is no cure for POTS or one specific treatment for POTS. Every patient is a unique case and the treatment is often trial and error. Brooke suffers from heart palpitations, tachycardia, chronic fatigue, dizziness, chest pain, constant headache/migraines with aura, difficulty regulating temperature, pain in her neck, shoulders, back, elbows, hips, knees, and ankles. Again, POTS HURTS!
Although the months leading up to the diagnosis of POTS seemed very long, Brooke was fortunate to get a diagnosis whereas many suffer and go years without the proper diagnosis. POTS is a life altering and debilitating condition. Symptoms can come on suddenly and tend to be intensified in the morning. There are periods of flares that can last months and other times when the symptoms are able to be better managed. To this day many people look at this beautiful girl and have no idea what is going on in her body. On the outside the person may look "fine" but on the inside their body is running a marathon.
More information about Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome can be found on the Dysautonomia International websitehttp://www.dysautonomiainternational.org/page.php?ID=30
NOTICE:
BrookeLynn Montgomery is my brother's granddaughter. I have set the account up as a service to her family. All money will be directly deposited into the "Brooke Montgomery Medical Fund" at the State Bank of Toulon, Toulon, IL, under the control of her mother, Shelly (Smith) Montgomery.
I, Patricia S. Edwards, confirm that all content on my GoFundMe site is 100% true and accurate, and I am in no way attempting to mislead or defraud any of my site’s visitors.
Patricia (Smith) Edwards
Organizer and beneficiary
Pat Smith Edwards
Organizer
Toulon, IL
Rachele Montgomery
Beneficiary
