Hi! I'm Heather and I have RSD/CRPS (the most painful condition in existance- higher on the McGill pain scale than childbirth or Cancer), Erythromelalgia ( crippling flares in my feet that require me to crawl to move about),  gi malabsorbtion of nutrients, occiptal/ trigeminal neuralgia, pituitary malfunction, and vasculitis due to Late Stage Neuro Lyme Disease. I have been in chronic pain, illness, and disability since I was 22 years old- now 19 years. I've been in and out of a wheelchair, have had countless nerve blocks in my lumbar and cervical spine,  brachial plexus, skull, eyes and feet,  and last year had a medically induced coma to reboot my malfunctioning brain which sends out exaggerated/debilitating pain signals through my head and body. Walking has been an ongoing challenge for me, off and on, especially the last 2 years. I've recently learned that I also have life threatening inflammation in my brain, a rare condition called vasculitis (caused by Lyme disease). It causes extreme pain in my head from any light and sound stimuli, as well as causing swelling in my legs and feet. In December 2015, I recieved my first IV Immunoglobulin infusion, they cost $30,000 a treatment ( I had reached my insurance out of pocket max, so the treatment cost me $1,000). I will need approximately 12 more to stabilize my immune system. I am immuno-suppressed, and my body is ravaged by Lyme disease which makes fending off infection difficult; eg, my last cold developed into pneumonia. IVIG promises to recalibrate my immune system,  end the RSD/CRPS, and stop the degeneration and demylination of my brain and nerves-- very exciting! I know 3 people who have had their RSD/CRPS go into complete remission after IVIG, and they are able to have a life now. In one year with IVIG, that could be me- if insurance will cover it.

Unfortunately, I am one of millions who have been infected in the Lyme disease epidemic. My near 20 years with RSD/CRPS is due to my Neuro-Lyme infection- I was finally diagnosed with Lyme a few months ago after my health took a serious downturn. Insurance codes have not caught up to the crisis, and offer no coverage for Late Stage Lyme disease. Anyone affected by Lyme must pay out of pocket, and Western Medicine treatment costs average $40,000 a year. I have private insurance which costs nearly $420.00 a month, and it is useless for my Lyme treatment- a travesty. I do not have an income, am not on disability (I became disbled in grad school, so do not qualify for social security). I've no money for a port/picc line for IV antibiotics, oral antibiotics, herbal anti- parasitics, malarials, virals, bacterials etc.   It will be a big job to rehabilitate and heal. Killing the infection is one phase, but the lyme has been eating my tissue for 20 years- there's a lot of repair work to be done on joints and organs!

I am deeply grateful to those who have encouraged me to start this page, and who have offered to help. I commit to pay this goodness forward and to helping others when I can, as we all do. Thank you so much for your time, and for your generosity.