Angela's Fortune

THANK YOU AND UPDATE - AUGUST 1, 2018
It is with gratitude and appreciation that we take this moment to thank each and every one of you for your donations to support Angela at this time. As you know, Angela is on a difficult and complex winding journey with her health. Because of your generosity, she has been able to continue with her medical procedures and provide transportation when she is unable to drive to appointments.

Angela’s health battle will continue to present major obstacles in her life as she continues to work toward remission and stabilization, so we will keep this site up longer to provide updates and continue trying to help her.

Angela has been hoping to provide a more detailed update about her health, but she is juggling a lot right now and doing her best to get through the days. Her muscles have been shutting down quickly and frequently, making her days more challenging to navigate. She has been adjusting to new treatments (such as a treatment for Myasthenia Gravis and a hormone-based chemotherapy treatment) in addition to several other existing medical interventions. She has been working with neuromuscular specialists and neuro-ophthalmologists in the past few weeks to continue trying to get things under control and is meeting with her eye surgeon and Oncology surgeon this week to find out results and make decisions for next steps. Angela’s vision remains intermittent and limited. Thus, she is not able to communicate as she would like because she has to work hard to parse out her vision and she has limited strength and energy.

Please know when we’ve talked with her, Angela continually says how much each of your donations, messages, cards, kind words, etc. have meant to her and that she is disappointed she cannot respond to each one.

Many thanks and below is a personalized thank you from Angela

Dear Friends,
I’d give anything to be able to hug and thank each of you personally and wish I had better words to convey the unforgettable impact your generosity and care have had on my life.

First, I have to say, I’ve had the vulnerability hangover of a lifetime since seeing this and the words “GoFundMe” next to my name in my newsfeed and FB page. I never could have imagined a site for me such as this, if I’m being honest. The first time I saw it, I sent a message saying “I think knowing this is out there might kill me before any of my diseases or complications do.”  And then a friend tagged me and in the kindest way possible told me, “people have been wanting to know how they can help you so you need to let them and get over yourself.” I’m thankful for friends who can love hard like that. After that, many similar messages followed, acknowledging my discomfort and affirming her sentiment. So…I’ve decided to try my best to focus on and accept the amazing act of kindness of my precious friends who’ve known the challenging nature of my unexpected medical circumstances and have tried to help in the best way they knew - seriously, so grateful.

I’m humbled to my core, beyond blessed by your gifts, and incredibly uplifted by your words. Your comments of prayers, love, positive thoughts and healing vibes have encouraged me more than you’ll ever know. I’ve re-read them multiple times, all with tears of gratitude. Truly, I have felt it all. Each of your names will be etched on my heart for the rest of my days - please believe that. And, to my anonymous friends, you have taught me how to love in a way that holds a special sentiment in its own right and for that too, I’m grateful. Because of you all, I am learning (or at least trying) to more gracefully receive. Also, please know how much I love hearing from you and wish I could respond individually, but have been doing my best to get through each day. I hear you and it blesses me so.

When my doctors or friends tear up when they’re burdened and sad for me, I try to remind them of all the ways my situation could be worse and I truly mean it. I can find blessings to count by the hour. In full disclosure, though, over a year of pushing through a medical obstacle course of debilitating and threatening circumstances has felt like an unimaginable and relentless challenge as each new day has brought unsuspected physical trials my way. I don’t say this to complain or dramatize, but to situate my overwhelming gratitude for you and the act of unconditional love you have shown me. Please know you will play an integral role that extends supporting medical treatments and expenses to supporting my ability to sustain hope and daily strength as I press on to 1) negotiate existing and new treatments and surgical interventions, 2) fight to function well despite pain and side effects from treatments, 3) fully adapt to approaching life in light of the unpredictably debilitating nature of other disease, and 4) remain diligent in navigating multiple diseases and treatments while retaining (and regaining) as much normalcy as possible in the midst of things.

At this point, doctors, colleagues, and even an editor have all suggested that I write about this somewhat unbelievable experience if I ever get through this and am able. I’m quite uncertain of anything my future holds, but I do know if I were to write a book, you would have your own chapter. Now, it might be called something like “The Most Humbling Experience,” but nonetheless; your compassionate gifts have become a forever part of my story. Thank you for journeying with me.

I love you all and would sincerely appreciate your continued thoughts and prayers.

Joyfully,

Angela



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ORIGINAL POST

Anyone who knows Angela would agree wholeheartedly that her full name (Angela Joy Fortune) symbolizes who she is … an angel of joy. She is never without a smile; a warm, comforting hug; and the stickiest of sweet compliments for anyone she encounters.
 
However, Angela is less than fortunate at this time in her life. She is battling a plethora of physical challenges right now, too many and too complex to detail here. One of the multiple serious illnesses that Angela is dealing with is a rare, degenerative neuromuscular disease with no cure that causes muscle weakness, often impacting basic functions (i.e., seeing, walking, speaking, swallowing, breathing). She is working through a variety of complications from this and the other illnesses that have affected her daily functioning at this time. 

All of this may sound like fiction, as it is too much for one person to be diagnosed with or to handle. Unfortunately, this is Angela’s reality.
 
As you can imagine, Angela’s medical and related daily expenses are extensive. Help us support Angela, as she has spent her lifetime supporting, loving, and caring for others.
 
Please give what you can to help make her situation just a little bit more manageable. Any amount will help.
 
Also, please understand that Angela does not like asking for help and does not want to publicize her situation - for both personal and professional reasons. So please only share this Gofundme site with those you know and can trust to respond accordingly.
 
Thank you and “God bless” (as Angela would say)!