Colleen's fund for Mayo Clinic
Donation protected
My name is Colleen Glass. I am married to my wonderful caring husband of 17 years, Michael Glass, We have two children, Chloe age 13 and Cooper age 11. We live in San Antonio Texas.
My Mom is starting this fund for me because I need to go to the Mayo Clinic on November 22 and we need help with all the expenses.
For the last 6 years, I have been struggling with three autoimmune diseases. I have Psoriatic arthritis, interstitial Cystitis, and for the last two years, I have had Myasthenia gravis. The psoriatic arthritis causes joint pain in all joints at different times and fatigue. The interstitial cystitis causes bladder pain and urgency with syptoms like a constant infection. The Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a neuromuscular autoimmune disease which is extremely rare. The statistics at this time show 20 cases in 100,000 population. There are only 40,000 to 60,000 people in the US with MG at this time.
MG is the reason that I must go to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minnesotta on November 22. The symptoms I have from MG are constant double vision that never goes away, I can no longer drive a car, severe muscle weakness intermittently in the face and eyes. This muscle weakness causes slurred speech, drooping eye, swallowing/choking issues, body weakness, and on occasion breathing problems in which diaphram muscles get weak and make breathing difficult. I have been in the hospital with acute exacerbation and breathing problems four times in the last year. This is a life threatening emergency when the breathing is involved.
Currently, I am undergoing Plasmapheresis treatments once every two weeks, This is a treatment where they hook me up to a machine that pulls my blood out through a port in my chest. It then spins the blood and separates the plasma. Albumin is then added to the rest of my blood and it is put back into my body. This process removes the antibodies which are in the plasma. This takes several hours and is the only way to keep me stable and not in crisis or have breathing problems.
There is no cure for any of these autoimmune diseases that I have but having this combination of diseases and the rarity of the MG is a reason to go to Mayo. They have the best Neuromuscular/autoimmune clinic in the United States. They have treated 700 cases the last year and may have some answers and leading technology to help me. They are doing advanced research and genetic testing.
Upon arrival for a first visit, I will be required to stay in Rochester for at least 8 days, if not longer. The funds we collect will be for airfair, accomodations, food, lost wages for my husband, and some medical expenses, Thank God I have insurance at this time!
My Mom is starting this fund for me because I need to go to the Mayo Clinic on November 22 and we need help with all the expenses.
For the last 6 years, I have been struggling with three autoimmune diseases. I have Psoriatic arthritis, interstitial Cystitis, and for the last two years, I have had Myasthenia gravis. The psoriatic arthritis causes joint pain in all joints at different times and fatigue. The interstitial cystitis causes bladder pain and urgency with syptoms like a constant infection. The Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a neuromuscular autoimmune disease which is extremely rare. The statistics at this time show 20 cases in 100,000 population. There are only 40,000 to 60,000 people in the US with MG at this time.
MG is the reason that I must go to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minnesotta on November 22. The symptoms I have from MG are constant double vision that never goes away, I can no longer drive a car, severe muscle weakness intermittently in the face and eyes. This muscle weakness causes slurred speech, drooping eye, swallowing/choking issues, body weakness, and on occasion breathing problems in which diaphram muscles get weak and make breathing difficult. I have been in the hospital with acute exacerbation and breathing problems four times in the last year. This is a life threatening emergency when the breathing is involved.
Currently, I am undergoing Plasmapheresis treatments once every two weeks, This is a treatment where they hook me up to a machine that pulls my blood out through a port in my chest. It then spins the blood and separates the plasma. Albumin is then added to the rest of my blood and it is put back into my body. This process removes the antibodies which are in the plasma. This takes several hours and is the only way to keep me stable and not in crisis or have breathing problems.
There is no cure for any of these autoimmune diseases that I have but having this combination of diseases and the rarity of the MG is a reason to go to Mayo. They have the best Neuromuscular/autoimmune clinic in the United States. They have treated 700 cases the last year and may have some answers and leading technology to help me. They are doing advanced research and genetic testing.
Upon arrival for a first visit, I will be required to stay in Rochester for at least 8 days, if not longer. The funds we collect will be for airfair, accomodations, food, lost wages for my husband, and some medical expenses, Thank God I have insurance at this time!
Organizer
Colleen Michael Glass
Organizer
San Antonio, TX