Mayo Clinic Trip

As most family and friends know I have been diagnosed with MSA-C or Multiple System Atrophy- cerebellar type. It is a very rare devastating terminal neurodegenerative disease that robs you of your life. It is described as having Parkinson's, Multiple Sclerosis and ALS rolled into one. What most people don't know and have kept from everyone is that I have also been diagnosed with smoldering multiple myeloma which is a very slow growing blood cancer that has affected my kidneys and will require treatment eventually. I am very good about not showing how these disorders have affected me esp. in pictures. Make-up is my new best friend and I am always posed holding on to someone or sitting but behind the scenes I have to use a cane for very short, short distances and a wheelchair for really any length of time. I do not let these disorders define me; life is very short and I take nothing for granted! 

Having been diagnosed with 2 rare disorders medical bills and expenses really  pile up, esp. having to go to specialists that are not in the area and need to travel a distance for care. Jim and I have done pretty well with keeping up and have never expected to be turning to family and friends for help but we are now asking for your help for this next journey. 
Jim and I will be traveling by car to save on expenses to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota August 7th 2017. We will be staying for at least a week for grueling testing and consultations with some of the best specialists that will go over my case and see if it's possible to qualify for a clinic trial, expiramental treatments or even the possibility that my diagnosis is wrong and that there may be treatments available. With this comes great financial burden as this trip could range in the thousands between travel expenses, lost of time for Jim from work  esp. if we are there longer then the week, and all the bills from testing, treatments and consultations that are not covered by insurance. I know that there is still the possibility that there may be nothing that will be available for me but Hope and Faith is what is leading me through this crusade, I'm not giving up. Even if the diagnosis is correct there are clinical trials that the Mayo clinic is conducting that I may qualify for. However,  the financial constraints that this trip puts on us is extremely overwhelming and without a little help we will not be able to go. 
Each day is a blessing to me and "Hope is the only thing stronger than fear". I truly appreciate and love all of you from the bottom of my heart. I thank you so very much for being in our lives. I have been truly blessed by each and everyone of you!