Help Bonnie Access Life-Saving Treatment

Hi, I’m Bonnie. I’m 41 years old, and for the past two and a half years, I’ve been navigating life with a condition called diebetic gastroparesis and mast cell activation

In simple terms, my stomach is paralysed, which means it can’t process food properly, and my immune system is attacking itself. Because of this, I am in constant pain, and struggle to keep a normal blood sugar, battle heart palpitations and have severe allergic reactions out of the blue, which now require and epi pen. My body has also fought severe pneumonia 4 times.

At 38, my life changed in ways I could never have imagined. I became unable to tolerate food, and since then, I’ve been sick multiple times a day and often in intense pain when I try to eat. Over the past two years, I’ve continued to lose weight as my body struggles to absorb the calories and nutrients it desperately needs. My electrolytes frequently drop, especially potassium, giving me heart issues, and I have recently developed Scurvy from poor nutrition.

This isn’t the first time I’ve faced serious health struggles. 3 years ago at the beginning of this disease I had emergency surgery to remove gallstones that were blocking my liver. Since then I have been unable to eat a complete meal like a normal person. On top of that, my bowels have stopped functioning naturally, so I have to rely on strong laxatives—something that drains what little nutrients my body is able to take in.

I’ve reached out with others who have similar conditions, and there seems to be a link between these health issues. Unfortunately, research hasn’t yet uncovered the answers, leaving many of us searching for solutions.

On top of everything, I react severely to a lot of medication. Some of these reactions have included anaphylactic shock, extreme fatigue, nausea, and vomiting.

Treatment for my level of gastroparesis isn’t covered by UVM (my local hospital) so I’ve had to turn to a specialist at Massachusetts General hospital in Boston. While this care has been essential, it’s also been financially draining. To make things even more difficult in my journey I have had to quit my full-time job as a chef, and my part time job as a foster parent. I was an active member in my church and volunteer to care for the elderly, all of which I can no longer do without this life saving treatment. I have had a series of treatments in Boston for 10 days, during which I stayed in Boston. Having just returned from 2 days in Boston this was a financial struggle for my family. I need ongoing testing and treatment in Boston as the State of Vermont has discharged my care and unable to provide treatment for the severity of my disease. As many of you know my family has dealt with several losses over the past couple years and this is a battle we unfortunately cannot fight alone.

Despite everything, I’m determined to keep pushing forward. I’m sharing my story in the hope of raising support to help cover the costs of my ongoing treatment. Any contribution, no matter how small, would mean the world to me and would bring me one step closer to reclaiming a sense of health and normalcy.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my story. Your kindness, generosity, and support truly mean everything. And I promise to pay it forward when I can beat this disease and get my life back.

Sending much love, prayers and sincere thankfulness to those that have supported me and my family throughout this battle I have endured. I do not like to ever ask for help, I would much rather be offering it but I am in a situation where I will not survive without this treatment.

5 more trips have been scheduled. Please share as this is life changing for our family.