Brittany's Babesia Treatment
Donation protected
As many of you know, over the course of my life I have contracted multiple tick-borne illnesses. To date, I have been diagnosed with neuroborreliosis (late-stage Lyme disease), babesia, bartonella and mycoplasma.
Unfortunately, due to unreliable diagnostic testing, I was not diagnosed with these diseases until they had already spread throughout my entire body many years after the initial infection. In the state of Maryland, insurance companies do not cover treatment for late-stage lyme disease/tick-borne infections and all treatment is paid out of pocket by patients like myself. I have fought for many years for legislation to pass that would require insurance companies to cover this treatment and I will continue to do so until this happens.
However, in May I was retested for babesia, a potentially deadly, malaria-like parasite that infects red blood cells. My test results came back positive and I was immediately pulled off my protocol for neuroborreliosis to once again begin treatment for the parasite. Babesia is one of the more dangerous tick-borne diseases and is one of the hardest to treat.
I have, with great shame, created this fundraiser to cover the first six months of my treatment for babesia. This fundraiser is not for any of the other treatment protocols for the other tick-borne infections that I have. It strictly covers the costs of the blood tests/work-ups, babesia medications (anti-malarials and antibiotics), the cost of my LLMD's follow-up appointments, and to see a secondary specialist for the debilitating neurological manifestations that have already taken over my life as the result of the treatment itself.
The problem for me is that babesia can be deadly to those with weakened immune systems. I have severe issues with my immune system and am regularly struggling with autoimmune responses. I suffer from reoccuring shingles, have on-going battles with uveitis and scleritis and other issues as a result of these diseases.
I cannot afford my own treatment any longer. We have spent thousands of dollars already this year on my treatment and we cannot afford to do so anymore. Any donation will help me with my treatment and will be greatly appreciated. Please join me in the fight for my life.
For more information on how you can help lyme patients with their legislative efforts to achieve adequate insurance coverage of their treatment, please visit www.natcaplyme.org. To find out more about the on-going epidemic of tick-borne illnesses plaguing this country, please visit www.ilads.org
Thank you all for considering this fundraiser and please, please use DEET.
-Brittany & Matt Wedd
Unfortunately, due to unreliable diagnostic testing, I was not diagnosed with these diseases until they had already spread throughout my entire body many years after the initial infection. In the state of Maryland, insurance companies do not cover treatment for late-stage lyme disease/tick-borne infections and all treatment is paid out of pocket by patients like myself. I have fought for many years for legislation to pass that would require insurance companies to cover this treatment and I will continue to do so until this happens.
However, in May I was retested for babesia, a potentially deadly, malaria-like parasite that infects red blood cells. My test results came back positive and I was immediately pulled off my protocol for neuroborreliosis to once again begin treatment for the parasite. Babesia is one of the more dangerous tick-borne diseases and is one of the hardest to treat.
I have, with great shame, created this fundraiser to cover the first six months of my treatment for babesia. This fundraiser is not for any of the other treatment protocols for the other tick-borne infections that I have. It strictly covers the costs of the blood tests/work-ups, babesia medications (anti-malarials and antibiotics), the cost of my LLMD's follow-up appointments, and to see a secondary specialist for the debilitating neurological manifestations that have already taken over my life as the result of the treatment itself.
The problem for me is that babesia can be deadly to those with weakened immune systems. I have severe issues with my immune system and am regularly struggling with autoimmune responses. I suffer from reoccuring shingles, have on-going battles with uveitis and scleritis and other issues as a result of these diseases.
I cannot afford my own treatment any longer. We have spent thousands of dollars already this year on my treatment and we cannot afford to do so anymore. Any donation will help me with my treatment and will be greatly appreciated. Please join me in the fight for my life.
For more information on how you can help lyme patients with their legislative efforts to achieve adequate insurance coverage of their treatment, please visit www.natcaplyme.org. To find out more about the on-going epidemic of tick-borne illnesses plaguing this country, please visit www.ilads.org
Thank you all for considering this fundraiser and please, please use DEET.
-Brittany & Matt Wedd
Organizer
Brittany Wedd
Organizer
Clear Spring, MD
