Help Bliss Overcome Medical and Financial Struggles

My name is Bliss. I am 19, and in college, headed in the direction of Criminal Justice. I'm the oldest daughter of 4 kids, with an older brother in Washington State, and twin younger siblings that are 8. All of whom I'm very close with. I work in the service industry in my family's bar and restaurant.

In July of this year, I started experiencing fevers, fatigue, dizziness. I would become super pale, nauseous, and could hardly stand. I went into Urgent Care, and they thought I had a virus, pushed fluids, and I was sent home. At 9 pm, I got a call from them saying that my blood counts were very low, and that I needed to get to the ER immediately to get a chest scan and blood culture done. During this visit, doctors found mono antibodies and thought it was a really bad case of mono but could not be pinpointed. I was given a blood transfusion, a bone marrow biopsy, a couple of CT scans, and multiple blood tests. In my bone marrow, they found eosinophils. The first time I left the hospital, there was no diagnosis or treatment, and we were just to hope for the best, as I seemed to be feeling better.

A week later, my symptoms returned, and my fevers continued to get higher and higher until they reached 104, and we had returned to the emergency room. I was admitted to the hospital again and endured a week of testing. They were trying to transfer me to the University of Iowa Hospital, but at that time, without any diagnosis or plan of treatment, I was declined the transfer. In this week, I was given 2 blood transfusions. They started testing for foreign or exotic diseases or infections. I endured a biopsy for my liver. I had every scan they have available, many multiple times. There were several antibodies they found. After a week of testing, there was still no diagnosis, and I once again was sent home, this time with one antibiotic.

I started having strep symptoms and started vomiting excessively. I got in contact with the oncologist I had seen previously, and they suggested I might have gotten food poisoning. Within the next 24 hours, I lost my vision, I was breathing rapidly, I was very weak to the point I could not walk on my own, and when I tried, I was stumbling. I couldn't even lift my leg or hold both arms at the same height. At this point, my mom rushed me back to the emergency room. Upon arriving, they gave me oxygen because mine was at 60%, my heart rate was 160-170, I had respiratory failure, and they diagnosed me with pneumonia. At this point, I was intubated and granted the transfer to the University of Iowa. At 2 am, I was transferred and admitted directly to the ICU. Within the first 24 hours, I learned I had fluid around my heart and lungs, and they almost put me on an ECMO machine to let my heart heal and was put on the transplant list for a new heart. At this time, I was diagnosed with pulmonary edema, which was caused by heart failure. I spent 4 days intubated and heavily sedated. At this time, I was very fortunate to have my family, boyfriend, and his family by my side. On day 5, I was extubated and was allowed to come out of sedation. I was given another biopsy for my spleen, TCC, and multiple blood tests. I had blood clots in my brain and was having mini-strokes. I had to relearn how to eat, drink, and walk again with physical therapy. I spent almost a month admitted in the ICU during this visit. I was finally diagnosed with Hypereosinophilic Syndrome. The eosinophils had gotten into my blood from my bone marrow, which started the decline in my health. Once I got taken off dobutamine, I was transferred to the Cardiology Floor.

I am doing better now but still learning how to live with my diagnosis. I'm on so many medications daily and on monthly injections. I am so grateful for the family, nurses, doctors, specialists, and all of the people who accompanied me on this scary medical journey. But, during this time, I have had to spend the last 5 months out of work. The bills, medications, and hospital stays have become overwhelming, on top of my regular bills I have to pay monthly. I'm hoping to gain some financial assistance to help me get back on my feet. I know that this time of year, that will be hard. But I'm grateful for any help I can get. Even if you cannot donate but can share, I will be so thankful. Thank you to everyone who has helped, been by my side, or cared for me.