My name is Monica Gordon, and I am posting this to humbly request your help and support for my ongoing medical expenses. I am currently facing significant health challenges that have overwhelmed me both physically and financially. It's also making my husband suffer in the crossfire, and I'm at a breaking point.

As most of you already know, I have been fighting for my health for a long time now.

For those of you who don't know me, this is my story. Back in 2016, I started to develop pain in my knee along with having dizzy spells and extreme exhaustion. I went and saw a couple of doctors about these issues, but the doctors just dismissed me. Fast forward to make a long story short (and now over 8 years later) my problems have gotten much worse. For the longest time, doctors didn't believe me, and I ended up with a 10.8mm hole in my femur in my right leg due to being misdiagnosed.

Fast forward-- I found a doctor in Alabama who actually believed me and ordered the proper imaging. This was "fixed" with surgery, but that's when all of my medical problems began to get out of control. I developed severe muscle weakness, swollen and painful legs, body aches, heart palpitations, headaches, and brain fog...just to name some of my symptoms. The muscle swelling and loss of full function of my legs is what scared me the most, so I kept going to appointments with the surgeon that fixed the hole in my leg—only for him to tell me "I don't know why that is happening" time and time again. I stopped going to see him and continued to advocate for myself and kept seeing doctors all over the southeast. From Alabama, to South Carolina, the Mayo Clinic in Florida, and more. All places giving no answers--until I finally found someone that believed me and actually cared about what was happening. This was 13 doctors later....THIRTEEN.

(And after the 4th and 5th doctor, this was becoming simply terrifying---losing the function in both of your legs isn't something you shrug off....it's freaking absolutely terrifying)

We finally found an excellent doctor in Atlanta who helped discover the reason why my legs weren't working the way they were supposed to; AND why I had been feeling sick for so many years. I was diagnosed with several large nerve entrapments in both legs and chronic reactivated Epstein-Barr Virus (this is the virus that causes mono—most of us usually catch it as children). In some people (and in my case), this unfortunately goes from being dormant to active—and this wreaks havoc on your immune system, muscles, nerves, blood vessels; and can even lead to lymphoma and MS. Surgery on one of my nerves was performed and ultimately failed unfortunately.

A few of my current doctors believe that the virus may have caused my conditions. I have had: bone death in my femur and foot, chronic exertional compartment syndrome of the legs (dangerously high level of muscle swelling that can cause loss of limbs), May Thurner syndrome (this is where blood gets trapped in the leg and it doesn't return to the heart the way it is supposed to), and several nerve entrapments of both legs (this causes pain and limited motion-the legs don't work the way they are supposed to). Coming up, I have to have a muscle biopsy to make sure I don't have some level of muscular dystrophy. I am awaiting a consult with a neurologist.

The virus makes you feel like you're dying most days. No exaggeration. I stopped wanting to do the things that I loved. I stopped socializing with everybody...not because I wanted to, but because I have barely any energy...all the time-- even when it comes to just having conversations. It takes a lot of energy for me to speak some days. I became a homebody. I was an ambitious go-getter that was stuck in a sick person's body. It made me feel lazy. I gained a ton of weight. It makes you feel so sad and depressed all the time because you don't understand what the hell is going on with you. Thank God for my supportive husband, I swear, if I was with anybody else they would have given up on me by now.

I work hard and have been employed consistently since I was 16 years old. I traveled all over the south east as a covid crisis respiratory therapist to help on the front lines when covid hit. I have always loved helping people and being active, and this virus is completely robbing me of that. I have been going through this whole thing now for too many years. I have stayed working full-time through this whole thing, but my legs are on the verge of stopping me. My body is giving up.

More and more, I am losing my strength and walking is becoming harder to do. I am currently working with my primary care provider and a rheumatologist; along with specialists from Denver (for May Thurner) and a specialist in Las Vegas (to release my trapped nerves in my legs). The last 2 conditions have to be treated out of state, as we have no specialists here that are well-versed in those conditions.

In all of this nightmare over the last 8 years, I have been able to battle with the mountain of medical bills and was able to keep fighting. I started working massive amounts of overtime in order to offset the costs of all of the doctors and treatments for my legs. Now, they have finally caught up to us and have taken over. We can no longer keep up, and now we are way behind. My medical conditions have left our bank account drained.

Our insurance will cover part of my treatments, but there are still MAJOR gaps in coverage; not to mention the airfare, lodging, rental car, food and meals...etc. Insurance is already fighting us and is labeling everything as "exploratory". (I ended up in the ER with heart palpitations--this is also caused by May-Thurner; and they are refusing to cover the bill).

I am a registered respiratory therapist at the Great Falls Clinic Hospital. Due to the high physical demands of being a respiratory therapist and the need for a proper recovery after surgery, I will have to take medical leave from the hospital and won’t have a steady income for at least 2 months. I am also a realtor with the Keller Williams Northern Montana Realty brokerage, but have no clients right now (I had to put my real estate career on hold due to my health issues).

I would love to focus all of my energy on getting better if I could. My husband will continue to work his full-time job of course, but it just won't be enough to cover everything.

My next procedure is going to be in Denver, CO. I will be seeing a wonderful IR doctor, Dr. Spencer, who will be performing venography and placing a stent in my left iliac vein for my May Thurner Syndrome. This will hopefully restore proper blood flow to my legs and heart. The procedure will be happening mid-March.

I'm hoping this procedure will give me my life back. The majority of the last 8 years has been spent on a couch due to not being able to move the way I need to in order to enjoy all the same activities a normal person would.

The pain in my legs is so intense and severe that I have to sit down in the middle of a shower or while cooking a meal, etc. I have missed out on so much life. It has been such a sad, senseless journey. It shouldn't have taken this long to be properly diagnosed. But now that I have most of my answers, I have got more fight in me than ever. I can't wait to get outdoorsy again!

Procedure after Denver: Nerve decompression and release in Las Vegas, NV with Dr. Peter Bregman-peripheral nerve specialist.

I know it looks like I'm asking for alot but that is just part of what I'm going to actually need unfortunately. And that is IF insurance covers my procedures the way they are supposed to.

Even the smallest of donations will help! My goal is to get just a tiny amount of help from a large number of people.

Every dollar counts, and your support, no matter the amount, will make a meaningful impact on my journey to recovery. Please help me write the next chapter of my story—one filled with strength, resilience, and triumph.

I know not everyone can donate, but shares are just as helpful and are so very appreciated!

This was a very condensed version of my story, so if you would like to know the entire thing, or have any questions, I am an open book and have shared my story at basically every stage on Facebook. Please feel free to message me with any questions at all!

Also, if you want to know more about my battle with epstein-barr specifically, there is a video on my tiktok under "monicasellsmontana".

If you or someone you know are suffering with a mystery illness and need help, please feel free to reach out!! I have only gotten as far as I have answer-wise in my progress due to the help of strangers on facebook support groups! Ask me anything! My other goal is to raise awareness on these understudied and often misdiagnosed conditions!

To donate, please use the link below, or I can receive venmo at: @monicagordon82

Thank you for your kindness, compassion, and generosity.