Hello, my incredible daughter, my amazing earthly Angel, Hello to my dear family, friends and to all those that have prayed for Jenna. Hello to all the individuals that are unknown to us, but continue to hold a place in their hearts for my darling daughter. Today, I am reaching out for your support by starting a GoFundMe, that will hopefully enable Jenna to have a better quality of life. A future filled with memories that Jenna will cherish, memories that could fill her heart with love, joy, laughter, and contentment. My Darling daughter, Jenna has a server inflammatory autoimmune disease that began around the age of 18. Now 33, the disease has affected all her joints, taken away her ability to walk and robbed her, of her youthful years. Her pain level is server on most days and has been comparable to having every bone in your body broken. Jenna has been a patient at PRHC, Peterborough Regional Health Center, since April 2020 and has survived many near death experiences. She has been admitted to the ICU several times, and placed in medically induced comas, along with ventilator support. Jenna is a fighter and a survivor, and she says it is only by the grace of God, that she is still here with us. Jenna's dream is to move into her own assisted living apartment, and be able to afford the supportive care that she will need. Your support would mean the world to Jenna and would give her the opportunity to live in a place that she can call home.  

http://preview.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/local-peterborough/news/2021/10/29/i-want-to-leave-with-all-my-heart-at-prhc-since-april-2020-jenna-bridgewater-wants-to-go-home.html?fbclid=IwAR1LEx46kNZAMTvcsJgQ0iNk27keN3xV8jXfY0oYkTdOngxmmYTUvmZN3NQ

Please accept our heartfelt gratitude, please help Jenna live the life she imagined #JennaLiveLaughLove
Full story can be viewed after slideshow video and scrolling through all images using read more prompt, until the end of document.

Story written by Jenna from her hospital room in PRHC Oct. 2021 

This is me, #JennaLiveLaughLove in my humble apartment that I loved & lived in for almost 7 memorable years. Until the building management then forced me into a nursing home with no say or choice by me. I lasted a very short 3 anxious months, before my health tragically took a downward spiral that caused me to be admitted into PRHC (Peterborough Regional Health Centre) April 2020. I despise it here and I want to leave with all my heart. The emotional isolation, terrible loneliness, chronic pain, saddened heart of meeting lovely friends, but then unfortunately losing them, prolonged depression are what fill my days, because I have been here for a long time. My ambitious dream is to get support through GoFundMe. Hopefully, with fingers crossed & with many prayers the fundraiser will be successful and receive enough funds for the care/help I would need to be in my own apartment again. I am very sad & depressed, because my hopes have been shattered, unfortunately, MANY times throughout my debilitating illnesses. Every new biologic started doctors said "it's going to be the miracle med, it changed MANY people's lives by putting their illness into remission." I have tried between 6-10 different biologics, but all failed to work for me. As a result, I now don't let my hopes grow & I say "I'll believe it when I see it." I think a really BIG miracle needs to happen to receive enough funds for everything I need. Enough to support the level of care I need to get out of the hospital & to be in my own apartment, where I was most happy. I would love to own a wheelchair van, afford adaptive, easy open back clothing and to have pool therapy. (For years I have wanted to be in a pool, it's the only place where my pain is practically gone, but no extra help is covered.) & enough for the various other VERY expensive things on the list. Anything that obtains a medical need the price goes extremely high. I am hoping that with everyone together, with prayers, sharing, caring & donating, that miracles can happen and I can live the life I IMAGINED & I'm dreaming about.

You can also search #JennaLiveLoveLaugh on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Please share # to anywhere you share, post, tweets, etc.. to your social platforms and also tell your contacts to do the same as well. I'm really trying to get the #JennaLiveLaughLove spread around.

Love Jenna, 

Read full story by scrolling through all images to the end of this document, where history and medical details can be viewed. 

This is last photo before we lost our beloved grandma deal. we had to crop in missing Jenna and Auntie Patti so all the girls would be together. It was better quality back then, 10+ years ago. but now, 2021 not such good quality but all the girls are together ❤ and that's what counts!

My 33-year-old daughter, Jenna has been battling a severe, inflammatory disease for the past 14 years. Prior to Jenna becoming stricken with this horrific, inflammatory, autoimmune disease, Jenna lived a very happy, healthy, active life. Jenna continually looked forward to all-new, exciting adventures that would come her way. She loved skiing/snowboarding, playing baseball/basketball, and hanging out with her friends, she was always on the go. Her goals for the future were firmly set and she was hoping to go to college and study nursing, or an alternative healthcare-related career. Also, her dreams consisted of having her own family one day, a loving husband, and children of her own. Dreams that most young girls dream about, always hoping that they would come true. Around the age of 18, in the blink of an eye Jenna’s life and dreams suddenly, and unexpectedly took a turn for the worst. First, her right knee began to show signs of swelling rapidly followed by, left knee, ankles, feet, toes, and hips. Results of a bone scan ordered by a family physician revealed that 98 percent of all Jenna's joints were severely inflamed. Referrals were immediately sent to Dr. Shickh, in Bowmanville, a physician who practices Internal medicine and rheumatology. After the initial diagnosis was confirmed as an inflammatory autoimmune disease, lacking rheumatoid factors, Methotrexate, a chemotherapy immunosuppressant agent, was prescribed. Failing to fully stop the progress of the inflammation, prednisone was added to the treatment. Shortly after, elevated liver enzymes became present, and liver damage was revealed through blood work. Blood transfusions were required as a treatment to try and help control the damage that occurred from taking the methotrexate injections. A Referral then was immediately sent to Dr. Robert Inman, Toronto Western Hospital, UHN.

Although Jenna has been under the care of Dr. Robert Inman, Senior Scientist, Professor of Medicine and Immunology, UHN, at Toronto Western Hospital, her disease has never been fully diagnosed. Despite all the research conducted by Dr. Inman and a team of specialized research Internalists, throughout the UHN Jenna's disease still remains somewhat a mystery. They know she is HLA-B27 positive but even that gene is still mysterious. Some people with the gene don't become ill and others, like Jenna become severely ill. What Doctors can say say for sure is that people with the HLA-B27 positive gene is that they have a very high risk to become ill with an inflammatory autoimmune disease, especially AS (Ankylosing Spondylitis) According to Dr. Inman, the closest comparable disease to Jenna's is seronegative Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) Jenna has received several biological treatments over the past years, in combination with several other pharmaceutical medications. To date, no biologic has been successful in controlling the inflammation and progression of the disease. Prednisone combined with a host of other medications is the only line of defense, Jenna has had to combat her disease, since the last failed biologic. During a past appointment at Toronto Western Hospital, Dr. Inman discussed a plan to move ahead and try a new biologic Rituxan, or Truxima. Unfortunately, Jenna's health rapidly declined in the months to follow, and she went into septic shock, respiratory failure and had to spend several days in a medically induced coma, in ICU, on ventilator support. Jenna has been experiencing severe life-threatening infections recently; therefore, a new biologic at present is no longer a choice for treatment. In combination with prednisone, and a host of other autoimmune suppressing medications, opioid (narcotic) analgesic injections are also part of Jenna's daily intake routine. Jenna suffers torturous pain at times, partially as a result of the disease, but also due to long-term use of biologics and prednisone. Jenna's bones are extremely brittle, easily fracture, and to date, Jenna has had multiple compression fractures in her back from T6-T12, rib fractures, dislocated knee twice, and suffered a broken tibia, while surgeons were trying to manipulate her dislocated knee back into place. At present Jenna's pain management program is overseen by specialized doctors in the pain clinic at Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, UHN. Again, the prescribed drugs of choice suggested are in the opioid family. There are numerous side effects related to morphine, hydromorphone, and other opioid classed medications and long-term use can lead to devastating, irreversible side effects.

Unfortunately, Jenna was forced to leave her assisted living apartment building October 2019. Jenna loved her apartment, where she had lived for almost 7 years. She had the freedom to live as every young woman should have. Sadly, Jenna was moved to a long-term home facility for the elderly, this is when Jenna's health rapidly declined. Loneliness, depression, grief, and prolonged sadness filled Jenna's days, as she became isolated among those far surpass her youthful age. Just after a brief 3-month stay, Jenna took a turn for the worse and was transferred to PRHC, (Peterborough Regional Health Centre) in acute respiratory distress, placed in a medically induced coma for eight days, and with the grace of God, survived. Jenna remains in PRHC, and has been there since April 2020 she has had countless transfers to ICU, again incubated and supported by ventilation and feeding tubes. Jenna continues to fight for her life, she does not give up. Her FAITH prevails through the pain, the suffering, the loneliness, and the sorrow. Jenna brings light, love, and joy into everyone's day that surrounds her. The doctors, nurses, medical staff, and patients all benefit from Jenna's, continual loving nature. Although Jenna depends on the care of the medical team at PRHC, she continues to give back by providing them with support and encouragement, throughout this past challenging year. Jenna is an amazing young woman, an incredible daughter, an invaluable friend to many. She loves nature, feeding birds, the sunshine upon her face, and she desperately wants to escape the loneliness and isolation of her way of life. Jenna would love to be able to visit with family, friends and attend festivals, celebrations, and concerts. She would love to go to a Blue Jays game, Ripley's Aquarium, the Toronto Zoo, or visit the places where her mom takes so many photos of wildlife species. Jenna would love to own a modified wheelchair van, so she could independently begin new and exciting adventures. Jenna's cherished dream in life is to go to Ireland and maybe find true Ireland love, her soulmate, this would be the ultimate dream trip for Jenna to take. There are endless ways that your support and contributions can provide Jenna with the resources that will be lifechanging for her. Your support and contributions will bring hope and opportunities for Jenna to live life as a young, beautiful, independent woman. And get her out of the hospital but be able to receive all the one on one help she needs. The government only provides for small amount of hours to be covered, no where near what Jenna needs to be out of hospital. 

Listed below is a partial list of the ways your contributions will greatly improve Jenna's quality of life:

• Note: Only wheelchair transportation, Nursing, and PSW supportive care, to and from medical appointments are covered by government funding. Jenna, presently receives $149.00 per month, through ODSP, all remaining allotted allowance goes directly towards the living in hospital or long-term care facility.
• Wheelchair transportation coverage, approximate cost one way to Toronto from Peterborough, $315. flat-rate
• PSW support care needed for daytime excursions, overnight, weekend, or week-long getaways, $28. to $35. hourly rate. Nursing care $45-$65 per hour.
• Wheelchair accessible hotel rooms, suited for both Jenna and a PSW care provider, cost varies depending on location.
• Physiotherapy and therapeutic pool therapy minimum coverage is provided by the government, for physio, excluding in-pool therapy, the approximate cost for extended care is $50 to $173 / hour.
• Massage therapy, no coverage by government, approximate cost, $50 to $90 per hour.
• Foot Care specialist, one visit per month as recommended for diabetic foot care, $50 minimum cost, per visit. No coverage by the government.
• Hair Stylist, in-hospital appointments for weekly shampoos, and monthly appointments for trims, prices vary.
• All-season, easy dress, adaptive clothing, and personal care items, lotions, sunscreen, and products that all young women love. Pricing for adaptive clothing is very expensive. Right now, Jenna has resorted to cutting slits right up the middle of the back of her tank tops, so she can slip on easily with less pain and you can't tell because she's laying in bed
• Monthly cell phone, internet, and bills for communication devices, such as laptop, or tablet, rates vary, essential for communication and overall well-being.
• Assistive products and equipment, including technology devices, are needed to perform everyday tasks, prices vary and are extremely expensive.

Please accept my heartfelt gratitude in advance and know your help would mean the world to me, my family, and especially to my beautiful Angel, my daughter Jenna.

#JennaLiveLaughLove

Sincerely,

Catherine Massaro
[email redacted]
647-542-8053

You can talk with Jenna through her social accounts here:
Facebook: Jenna Diana Bridgewater
Instgram: @bridgewaterjenna
Twitter: @JennakeepFaith