PLEASE SEE UPDATE 1/8/23

On August 11th of 2020, Faith was hospitalized with severe pelvic pain. We thought it had been caused by yet another ovarian cyst rupture-- something that Faith has years of experience with. When no gynecological abnormalities were detected and the severe pelvic pain continued, so began a long search for answers that continues with this campaign. Over the past year (published August 2021), Faith has seen every specialist and undergone every invasive test and procedure imaginable. We have found no real answers and the symptoms just keep developing. Chronic pelvic pain turned into chronic back and leg pain. Back pain turned into severe chronic migraine with vertigo, light and sound sensitivity, vision problems, intracranial hypertension, and sleep issues. Leg pain turned into leg weakness and violent muscle spasms (she now uses a wheelchair full time), chronic fatigue and episodes of neuropathy (hot and cold flashes, tingling, phantom sensations...). Faith's pelvic pain is not just gynecological, it is also associated with her digestive system. Faith experiences chronic nausea and vomiting and is unable to eat on a regular basis. She also experiences episodes of extreme bloating and organ inflammation that cause even more pain. These symptoms severely interfere with her ability to use the bathroom safely or on her own. Considering all of this, it should come as no surprise that Faith often cannot leave her bed, let alone the house, other than for medical reasons.

As you can gather from this tame illustration of her symptoms, Faith's quality of life is virtually nonexistent; and after a year of searching, we are no closer to answers or a treatment plan than when this all started. The time has come to seek help from a higher level medical institution. Faith chose Johns Hopkins (we are now pursuing Mayo Clinic, see updates for details) mainly because of their integrated diagnostics program, but also because they have been consistently ranked highly in the two specialties that mainly affects her-- neurology and gastroenterology. She will be undergoing a week or more of medical interviews and tests with hyperspecialized doctors of every body system in a collaborative environment. The hope is that these world renowned doctors will put their heads together and see something no one else has yet. It is our understanding that Faith will be able to use her insurance to seek treatment (subject to change). That being said, Johns Hopkins is in Baltimore, Maryland AKA all the way across the country from Southern California. After much agonizing thought, research and pricing, Faith has made the decision for us to attempt to fly. This could go very poorly, however the cost (~$6k + gas) and availability of accessible vans just doesn't make it seem feasible for us to do a road trip. So we will be paying the "disability tax" (still much cheaper than driving!) and fly business/first class so that Faith can have room to be as safe and comfortable as possible.

When we get to Baltimore, Johns Hopkins will either put us up in hospital housing or help us get into an affiliated hotel across campus (we’ll know more once we can make an appointment). We are budgeting for a 2 week hotel/hospital stay. Since we have no idea what to expect from this journey, we are only asking for funds up to this point in the trip. We are planning to set out sometime between early spring and early summer of 2022, dependent on insurance approvals and scheduling availability/waiting period. Here is a very rough estimate breakdown of what this trip will cost based on current rates:

Two (2) Round-trip Tickets to Baltimore (business/first): ~$3,000

Accessible Car/Van Rental: ~$1,500-$2,500

Gas/Insurance: ~$500

Hotel/Hospital Housing: $300 per night x 2 weeks = ~$4,500

Travel Food/Incidentals: ~$2,000

Total: ~$12,500

A message from Faith:

I understand that times are rough and complicated for many folks for many different reasons right now, especially financially. Every penny yall are able to contribute makes all the difference in the world. Sharing this campaign with your family and friends on all your socials would also be super helpful ($20 from 750 people would meet our goal). After a brutal year of pain, hospitals, surgeries/tests, and countless doctors scratching their heads; it’s time to call in the big guns. Here’s to hoping these are the people who help me get my life back. Thank you for your time, generosity and support.