Saving Dani

My daughter has been seriously ill for 15 years... with debilitating symptoms. She is now in a Critical Health situation. Danielle was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease in 2012 & refused to let it define her - but the severe exhaustion that has wrecked her has never been tested or even looked into. Drs just say it is what it is.... they do not have to deal with it 24/7. They put it down to her Crohn's disease, depression, and even stress. To watch Dani suffer so horribly, for such a long long time - with no answers, no "expensive" tests & no GP looking outside their bloody box - has been heartbreaking. I have begged Drs (good drs) to "help her... please save her, she is beyond exhausted EVERY HOUR OF EVERYDAY." Not one did.

To her inspirational credit, she has done her absolute best to NOT let her illnesses define her. She would go to work, whilst studying to be a CA, barely able to stand up. She had weekend CA group things in the city where she felt like death. She & sister Sam were really excited to get concert tickets to see Ed Sheeran a few years ago & when we picked her up after work, she was so sick, hadn't been able to eat all day, she was about to collapse but she pushed through it & managed to still go, take the selfie with Sam, enjoy being there.... but had to disappear at one point & go sit down by the back fence, to try & breathe & not collapse.

I admire Dani beyond words. My heart is breaking seeing the very real struggle day in/day out. Brian - well - his love & care for Dani is beyond beautiful. They have been together 19 years (22.2.23) When he proposed in Tassie December, 2021, Danielle said "it has always been you" They have had to cancel their dream Wedding (29.9.23), Brian has sold his prized car & everything they can to keep their home... Dani hasn't been able to work since December 2022, she can barely get out of bed! These 2 are now really struggling financially.

Last year in November, she developed these instant, very aggressive "spells" where she goes nearly unconscious, her head wobbles & her eyesight disappears. It is terrifying. They slam her nearly everyday now... say that out loud. Dani wants to be able to go to work, able to do things, not being scared of fainting or worse. They are in a Financial crisis & need help. Brian's work have been very supportive, he has to leave suddenly & take her to hospital or care for her.

Friends have asked if a GoFund Me Page could be set up. Thankyou everyone for their messages of support. Brian's desperate, painful fb post prompted me to create one - this is post -

"Feel free to share this around. It is something about the health system that needs to be known!

So 15 years ago (Give or take a year) I took Danielle Graham to the doctors with complaints of fatigue and general unwellness.

Doctors always said it could be anything but then blamed it on depression and later depression and Crohns Disease. However never went any further with testing even though they admitted they didn't know.

From there Dani's health only declined. She never let this stop her. She still rode her horse, she still spent years becoming a bloody good charted accountant. Despite her failing health.

The last couple of years her health really went down hill and doctors still blamed Crohn's and depression even though openly admitting it could be anything.

Well Dani's health only got worse since November 2022 and is now at a critical state with a bunch of new frightening symptoms.

We ended up in hospital a couple of times only to get negative results.

Due to Danis failing health she couldn't work. This ended up killing us financially and emotionally. I had to sell my dream car, Dani had to sell her collectables to get by. It was crushing and only getting worse.

So I finally had enough letting the doctors twiddle their thumbs while I literally watched my beloved Dani deteriorate to not even a shell of what she used to be.

No energy to the point where eating is exhausting.

I started my own research using Dr Google. Dr's love that.

It took a while but I found that all her symptoms fit like a key to damage to endocrine system. So off to the Dr we went and we had to force him to test for T4, T3, Cortisol and Testosterone. All key factors in Dani's symptoms. He flat out refused to do a Reverse T3.

Now even though we managed to make him test for these he said that they never test for testosterone in females or T3 in general.

So we got the test results back and testosterone levels are dangerously low. the normal Range is 0.2 to 2.0nmol/L. Dani's is at 0.1 - That is half of the bare minimum required to function. 0.08 or less can be hospitalization or worse.... The dr never even followed up on the results. We had to check Dani's My Health Record and wait 10 days for the results to be released. Then we had to make an appointment to see a dr!

So to put it short testosterone helps with energy to your cells and helps with basic function of many things. Even to do with the creation of blood cells. Low testosterone mean smaller red platelet cells which means more bleeding when hurt which also means easily bruised.

For years I have been asking the Dr's nicely to do there job. For years I let them fob us off.

This is not a first world country when you have to become your own Dr in order to get a diagnosis especially if it is something as simple a blood test. The fact why they never tested this? Money! It is an expensive test apparently. When we put money over some ones health for 15 YEARS you know your not in a first world country.

To say I am furious & in fear of her life, is an understatement. This has pretty much ruined Danis life and mine. Over a damn blood test.

So the moral of the story here is be forceful with your Dr. Make them do tests. Research what it could be and back it up with evidence from reputable sources and then get the tests done.

AND don't let a Dr tell you testosterone in women isn't important, see another one. That one is incompetent!

Now we play the waiting game as we have to see a Endocrinologist to get treatment as a GP legally can not administer testosterone. This is due to it being a controlled substance in Australia, at the same level as heroin and ice etc.

The public system is 1 to 2 years wait.

Private system is 1 to 2 months.

I'm hoping they will triage and get her in early as it has become critical.