Our family has been walking through one of the hardest medical battles we’ve ever faced. Christina has been hospitalized for weeks, fighting complication after complication, and we are humbly asking for help as she continues this exhausting and frightening journey.
A Body That Can’t Fight Infection
Christina lives with **Primary Immune Deficiency**, meaning her body cannot fight infection like most people can. Even a “simple” infection can become dangerous — and this time, it turned into bacteremia, a serious infection that entered her bloodstream. She was immediately placed on strong IV antibiotics.
One of those antibiotics, Doxycycline, caused severe reactions:
• burning through her veins
• flushing, itching, hives
• systemic reactions requiring Benadryl, steroids, and Pepcid
• repeated IV failures
Even with treatment, the reactions were intense and dangerous.
Christina also has a history of multiple spontaneous artery dissections — life-threatening tears in her arteries that make every medical decision more complicated and high-risk.
Addison’s Disease: A Constant Life-Threatening Risk
On top of everything else, Christina has Addison’s Disease, meaning her body cannot produce cortisol. When levels drop too low, she enters an Addisonian crisis — causing dangerously low blood pressure, vomiting, shaking, and severe abdominal pain. She had multiple near-crisis episodes during this hospital stay.
Two Surgeries While Fighting Infection
Because the infection spread through her bloodstream, doctors had to remove the likely source: her mediport.
Christina underwent two surgeries back-to-back:
1. Removal of the infected port
2. Placement of a new port once the infection began to stabilize
These surgeries, while septic and adrenal-unstable, took a tremendous toll on her already fragile body.
IV Failures, Pain, and Endless Procedures
Without a port, Christina had to rely on peripheral IVs — and her veins simply cannot handle them. She went through nine IVs, many requiring ultrasound guidance. Most infiltrated, causing:
• severe burning
• swelling and bruising
• nerve pain
• treatment interruptions
Combined with her reactions to the medications, every infusion became a battle.
Emotional Weight & Long Nights
Not every shift brought compassion, and some nurses added stress when she was already fighting to stay stable. Thankfully, management eventually intervened and placed her in better hands.
Throughout this stay, Christina has endured:
• nights of shaking, sweating, and dropping blood pressure
• adrenal instability
• medication reactions
• relentless pain and exhaustion
She spent Thanksgiving in a hospital bed, fighting to stay out of crisis.
What She’s Fighting Right Now
* Primary Immune Deficiency
* Bacteremia (bloodstream infection)
* Severe reactions to IV antibiotics
* Two mediport surgeries
* Addison’s disease + adrenal crisis risk
* History of spontaneous artery dissections
* Repeated failed IVs and painful infiltrations
* Systemic medication reactions
* Exhaustion, trauma, anxiety, and financial strain
Through all of this, she refuses to give up
Why We Are Asking for Help
This medical journey has created overwhelming financial strain for our family:
• hospital bills
• missed work
• travel and food costs
• long inpatient stays
• ongoing treatment needs
We simply cannot carry this alone.
Your support — no matter the amount — helps us focus on Christina’s healing rather than the crushing weight of medical and financial stress.
Thank you for your love, generosity, and prayers. We are deeply, deeply grateful.