Kim Brittain\'s Endometriosis Surgery Fund
I am a 40 year old mother of
three children, ages 20, 17 and 7, and a wife of 21 years. I am scheduled to have surgery on April 25,
2012 for a bowel obstruction due to endometriosis and adhesions.
Together our family owns and
works Brittain Family Farm; a small, sustainable and diversified farm that
serves our local community with organic food.
We raise grassfed meats, free range eggs, and tend a two acre market
garden with a 30'x96' hoophouse for four season vegetable production. We sell directly from our farm, run a three
season CSA, and attend several farmer's markets. The farm is our family's sole income. It affords us a humble living and the rewards
of working the land and providing "clean" food to a loyal and thankful customer
base and is a truly rewarding endeavor!
We do not have medical
insurance primarily because our income does not afford us to purchase it, but
besides that, this is my third surgery for endometriosis and therefore a
pre-existing condition.
I was diagnosed with Stage IV
endometriosis and a frozen pelvis in 1999 after many years of debilitating pain
and illness. My first surgery was not
successful in removing the disease. It
proved to be ineffective in relieving the daily pain and illness I was
experiencing. I was so
discouraged!
After my first surgery, I
became incapacitated once again, unable to work and to care for my family. During this time, I began to educate myself
about the disease and the severity of deep tissue and intestinal endometriosis. I researched specialists who could give me
the best possible opportunity for a recovery from this horrific disease. I found only two surgeons in the U.S. who
qualified for the type and severity of the endometriosis that I had!
In the spring of 2003, I
contacted Dr. Charles Koh in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and requested that he
evaluate my records. It was established
that he could and would remove the disease I had and gave me hope to be
well! I was scheduled for surgery on
June 3, 2003. Dr. Koh performed a five
hour laparoscopy to remove the endometriosis from my pelvis and the adhesions
caused by this inflammatory disease.
With the assistance of a general surgeon, Dr. Koh and Dr. Henry
determined that the disease had infiltrated too much of my colon to repair
through excision and chose to do a complete colectomy (removal of a section of
my colon). After a five day hospital
stay, Dr. Koh's parting words to me were- "You will be well." And I have been, until now (almost 9 yrs.
since my last surgery). He gave me back
my life and I have never looked back! I
have tried very hard to live every day to my fullest potential because I always
remember when I couldn't live any day beyond struggling one minute at a time to
endure the pain and illness that came with the disease I had.
One year after that surgery,
I conceived, carried and then delivered a beautiful baby girl. Gracie is our "undeserving gift from
God". I have lived the last eight
years, unrestricted by the disease. I
have had regular bouts of pelvic and rectal pain from adhesions, but compared
to the ill health and pain I experienced prior to my surgery in 2003 these
episodes have been relatively insignificant when put into perspective with past
experience. This was expected and
anticipated with the extent of disease I had.
On October 3, 2011 I
miscarried at 13 weeks gestation and everything changed! Emotionally I was a mess and then physically
I began to experience overwhelming upper abdominal pain and tremendous
digestive upset for a week at a time. It
took several months, but I finally pinpointed that the pain I was experiencing
was happening at the same time of month each month (two weeks after my monthly
cycle). I sought Dr. Koh's medical
advice once again. I have been diagnosed
with yet another bowel obstruction and the extent of this obstruction cannot be
determined or repaired without yet another laparoscopy. Once the surgery is underway, Dr. Koh and Dr.
Henry can determine whether or not the obstruction in my colon can be repaired
through dilation or if it will require another colectomy to remove the damaged
section causing the obstruction. Any
disease found within my pelvis and intestines will be excised during this
surgery and any adhesions found will be removed. If any reproductive organs are diseased or
damaged due to scarring, they will be removed also.
Our financial goal includes
the estimates I have received for this surgery including Dr. Koh, Dr. Henry,
and hospital fees including a hospital stay.
The estimates do not include travel, hotel accommodations while away
from home, and the loss of several months of work while I recover from this
surgery. Nor does it include an estimate
for hired labor to replace myself on the farm during recovery.
Dr. Koh $3183 (must be paid
prior to surgery)
Columbia St. Mary's Hospital
Milwaukee, Wisconsin $24,000
Dr. Henry $3000-$6000
Our most urgent financial need is Dr. Koh's bill which
must be prepaid prior to my surgery.
At this time, the burden of
the debt we face from this surgery seems overwhelming. If you find yourself able to contribute in
any way to relieve our financial burden, we will be most thankful! If you know us personally and would prefer to
send a check directly to us, please feel free to do so. It would also be a tremendous help if there was
someone who could coordinate meals to be brought in to us, once I arrive home
during the first week or two of my recovery.
This would be much appreciated. I
would love visits and emails! I am not a
sit still kind of person and recovery is a most challenging time for me. I love to read and knit when I have down
time, so if you have any books or magazines you are willing to share, I would
be thankful to give them a second reading!
I will do my best to keep everyone updated on my surgery and recovery and
look forward to restored health!