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Donations for Dee: Expenses for getting new lungs

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Our Aunt Dee needs a double lung transplant... All our lives we have known our Aunt to be a person that puts everyone else’s needs above her own. When our grandparents were alive she did everything for them; shopping, errands, rides to appointments, she checked in on them daily to make sure they had everything they needed. 

In 2009, she was diagnosed with Scleroderma (sklair-oh-DUR-muh). Scleroderma is a group of rare diseases that involve the hardening and tightening of the skin and connective tissues. She has a form called CREST syndrome (or limited scleroderma). Unlike other types, which only affect the arms, legs, and face, this kind can involve your digestive tract. While less common, it can also lead to problems with your heart and lungs. She has the following symptoms:

Calcinosis -- Painful lumps of calcium in the skin. These can happen on your fingers or other parts of your body.
Raynaud's phenomenon -- White or cold skin on the hands and feet when you’re cold or stressed. It’s caused by blood flow problems.
Esophageal dysfunction -- Problems swallowing and/or reflux. This is caused by scarring in the esophagus, the tube that runs from your mouth to your stomach.
Sclerodactyly - Tightness and thickening of finger or toe skin. It can make it hard to bend your fingers.
 
In 2015 she was diagnosed with COPD. That combined with the scleroderma made it impossible to continue working full time, so she applied for and is receiving disability. That did not prevent her from still working (you are allowed to supplement disability up to a given amount each month). So she still works part time, cleaning people’s houses (she can plan the work around how able she is feeling).

Her pulmonary doctor has suggested that she look into a lung transplant for years. But, since she was able to carry on, she has not really considered it. Unfortunately, life has decided to throw another wrench into the works. March of this year (2020), she developed pulmonary hypertension. Pulmonary hypertension is a type of high blood pressure that affects the arteries in your lungs and the right side of your heart.

Our aunt is a very, strong, independent person who has worked very hard to conceal her problems from everyone except her doctors. Even family and close friends were not aware how extreme her problems were. This latest development has made this almost impossible. She gets winded just walking the short distance from her house to her car.

Recommended treatment for our aunt will require multiple visits and testing at Cleveland Clinic for a double lung transplant. This all comes with expenses including hotel, transportation, medications, testing, care and treatment before and after lung transplant. The funds are needed now to help with care and treatment before and after transplant. The funds will help to decrease financial stress and support our aunt through this very difficult process.

So, now we want to help her out by trying to ease some of her stress related to the financial aspect of having a transplant.

Donations 

  • Logan Kring
    • $50
    • 4 yrs
  • Gawaine Ward
    • $100
    • 4 yrs
  • Edessa Hunter
    • $50
    • 4 yrs
  • Jeff and Joan Hewitt
    • $100
    • 4 yrs
  • Richard Snow
    • $25
    • 4 yrs

Fundraising team: The Nieces (2)

Christina Laman
Organizer
Theresa, NY
Dierdre Fram
Beneficiary
Jenna Norris
Team member

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