Hi. I’m Anna. I’ve had type one diabetes since age 4 in 1989. For most of my life, I never let it hold me back. I got my first job at age 14 and loved doing theater, cheerleading, church and high school choir, and more.

I’ve always had great control of my blood sugars, but as I got older, I started to get diagnosed with more and more autoimmune diseases, including celiac, hashimotos, gastroparesis, POTS, and more. It started to get more difficult to do the things I liked doing, like spending time with family and friends, volunteering, and even working.  I lost almost 30 pounds unexpectedly. 

Most recently, the gastroparesis has started to progress and get worse. This means daily nausea and vomiting, getting full after a few bites of food, and a lot of pain in the stomach. It was not responding to medication, so in December 2020, they did Botox injections into my pylorus to help food move through my stomach more freely. This helped a great deal, but it is already starting to wear off. Surgery is my next step.

I just got word from insurance that they are willing to cover the surgery for a gastric pacemaker, but I’m still not sure what my cost responsibility will be. If I can’t afford it, I won’t be able to go ahead with it. 

I’m still technically employed and on medical leave, but it is unpaid. I also don’t qualify for any unemployment because of this. Since I’ve been unable to work since January of 2020, any funds raised will be used to pay for medical expenses related to surgery, as well as other bills. I appreciate anyone taking the time to read this far; and I really appreciate any donations or even just sharing this fundraiser.