Main fundraiser photo

Life changing medical treatment needed.

Donation protected
Our 17 year old daughter Kelsey has been battling an illness for several years now.  We have taken her to countless doctors that either said, "they didn't know what was wrong with her", Or it was all in her head and that there was nothing wrong with her?!!  We knew for a fact that there was something wrong!!  She was passing out and having seizures everyday, sometimes several times a day.  She would be out for as long as 45 minutes at a time and nothing would bring her out of it?!  She had to be put on homebound from school, and had to start going to work with me daily so she could be with me when she had a "spell".  She had to put her activities and life on hold, she was no longer able to cheer at games or perform at dance, go out with friends or do anything a normal teenager was doing.  I started researching her symptoms and when they started, relayed my thoughts and conserns to her doctor and she was given a mental diagnosis?!  I washed my hands with him.  I knew in my heart that something was wrong!!  I just didn't know what!!?  In the mean time, my cousin in AZ was going thru the same thing.  She finally went to the Mayo Clinic and was diagnosised with POTS  Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome.  She found Kelsey a doctor close to us in St. Louis, I called told them Kelsey's symtoms and they got her in the very next day!?  I was so excited that someone finally believed us and we were finally going to find out what was wrong with her and get it fixed?!  Unfortunantly, it wasn't that easy.....in order to confirm that Kelsey did indeed have POTS, she had to have a tilt table test done. During the test, Kelsey, after only 7 minutes, flat lined....3 times!!?  The doctor came out to inform me about what had happened and stated that Kelsey needed a pacemaker.  It was also confirmed that Kelsey did have POTS, as well as Vasovagal Syncope and Dysoutonomia.  At that point, I was happy and sad at the same time.  Happy because we finally had some answers, but sad because of the long road she has ahead of her.  Here is a list of POTS symptoms and Kelsey has everyone of them.  Headaches, muscle weekness, brain fog, memory loss, nausia, depression, anxiety, tremors, visual disturbance, sleep disorder, leg cramps, cold crampy painful feet and hands, and lots lots more.  We were just imformed of a treatment center in Dallas Tx, that treats POTS.  However; our insurance doesn't cover the cost.  potstreatmentcenter.com  Not only is the treatment not covered, but we have to stay in Dallas for two weeks in order for Kelsey to receive this treatment.  So, we are trying to raise money to help our daughter.  There is nothing worse than to have to watch your daughter struggle with these symptoms daily and to not be able to help her. We are trying to raise the money for the treatment as well as travel expensed.  We are not ones to beg for help.  But this is our baby and we want so badly for her to have a normal life.  We are hoping this treatment center will give her her life back.  This is her senior year of high school, and she is lucky to make it one day a week.  Yesterday, the seniors were given their cap and gown, but not my daughter, she was at home sick and weak.  Please help us raise the money that we so badly need to help our daughter.  God Bless 
The Kitchell's
Dude, Laurie and Kelsey

Donations 

  • Betty & Pat Jagars
    • $25 
    • 10 yrs

Organizer

Laurie Kitchell
Organizer
Bonne Terre, MO

Begin your fundraising journey

Create a fundraiser for any person, cause, or nonprofit - it's free and every cause matters.

Your easy, powerful, and trusted home for help

  • Easy

    Donate quickly and easily.

  • Powerful

    Send help right to the people and causes you care about.

  • Trusted

    Your donation is protected by the  GoFundMe Giving Guarantee.