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Hello everyone! My name is Brenna Bloom, I am 20 years old.
As many of you know, I was diagnosed with Lyme Disease and Rheumatoid Arthritis when I was 13 years old. Let me take a second to explain what both of these are.
Lyme Disease is contracted through a tick, which passes parasites into my blood. These parasites then attack my entire body, starting off small with flu-like symptoms, minor aches and pains, exhaustion, that is often accompanied by a rash. Different people often have different symptoms, but my symptoms include extreme joint pain, constant fatigue, a very weak immune system, stomach problems, headaches, brain fog, and nausea. Lyme disease acts out like so many other diseases, which is why it is called the Great Imitator. The complexity of this disease makes it extremely difficult to diagnose, and even more difficult to treat. Throughout the past 7 years, I've seen a countless amount of doctors and specialists with the hopes of gaining my health back, but have had very minimal luck. I was so sick and malnourished that I should not be alive today.
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system – which normally protects its health by attacking foreign substances like bacteria and viruses – mistakenly attacks the joints. This creates inflammation that causes the tissue that lines the inside of joints (the synovium) to thicken, resulting in swelling and pain in and around the joints. The synovium makes a fluid that lubricates joints and helps them move smoothly. As the inflammation progresses, it can damage cartilage, the elastic tissue that covers the ends of bones in a joint, as well as the bones themselves. Over time, there is loss of cartilage, and the joint spacing between bones can become smaller. Joints can become loose, unstable, painful and lose their mobility.
Along with the destruction of joints, RA can also affect
Eyes. Dryness, pain, redness, sensitivity to light and impaired vision
Mouth. Dryness and gum irritation or infection
Skin. Rheumatoid nodules – small lumps under the skin over bony areas
Lungs. Inflammation and scarring that can lead to shortness of breath
Blood Vessels. Inflammation of blood vessels that can lead to damage in the nerves, skin and other organs
Blood. Anemia, a lower than normal number of red blood cells
Heart. Having RA doubles the risk of most heart problems
The typical treatment for RA is a steroid medication, which is intended to stop the swelling occurring in the joints, and prevent deformity and damage. Now the problem is that these medications wipe out the immune system, and as I have previously mentioned- because of having Lymes, my immune system pretty much doesn’t work already- so taking these medications have not been an option for me. I need as much of my immune system as I can get. These medications are also not good for your body in the long run. Hence why, for the past 7 years, it has been practically impossible for me to find anything that relieves my pain or stops these diseases from progressing. I had lost all hope of ever being healthy or pain-free again, I have accepted my pain and the constant state of sickness I am in. Within the past year, my hands have become so damaged- they do not even look my own hands anymore. I am unable to bend any of my fingers, and they hurt so bad it often makes me nauseated. The deformation in my hands is permanent, which is beyond discouraging for me but is only bound to get worse.
Just within the past month, my hands have indeed started to get worse, and my feet are beginning to hurt worse and also get deformed. My ankles are very swollen and constantly give out, my knees constantly hurt and I am often unable to bend or straighten them, which makes it very difficult to walk. My wrists, elbows, and shoulders are getting worse also, constantly really swollen and very difficult to move. Along with constant intense stabbing pain in my back, migraines, stomach pain, vertigo, and nausea life has been beyond difficult and is only becoming more difficult as time progresses. (I have attached videos and images of the damage done to my joints at the bottom of this page)
But do not get discouraged people, because a MIRACLE is in the workings.
This past week I stumbled upon a stem cell doctor here in Colorado Springs that recommended I try to get in contact with the Stem Cell Institute in Panama City. The doctors associated with this Institute have been able to practically cure people of a lot of diseases, specifically autoimmune diseases. There are thousands of people with Lymes and RA that have gone through Stem Cell Therapy, and are 100% pain-free, symptom-free and have gone on to live healthy lives. This clinic does not treat just anyone- so I had to go through an application process- and I am BEYOND excited to announce that this clinic has accepted my application and they are willing to treat me!! I just about cried when I received this news and am still in shock. The only problem is that this treatment is crazy expensive- and would take me years to save up for on my own. Now if time was not against me, and my diseases weren’t progressing so quickly and aggressively, this would not be a problem to raise on my own. But since all my joints are in danger of being damaged beyond repair I need this treatment as soon as possible. The longer I wait, the reality is that I will be unable to use my hands at all, unable to walk and wheelchair-bound, and more extreme damage will be done to my joints that is debilitating and PERMANENT.
Hence where I need your help, I need to raise $30,000 within the next month (I know that seems impossible to raise in such a short time but I know that with God, all things are possible!!). This will pay for the treatment itself, my travel expenses to Panama City (and also my mother's travel expenses).
Words seriously cannot express how much I would appreciate any sort of donation, or if you are unable to help financially- then please share my post or GoFundMe link to get it to as many people as possible. Your donation would prevent me from becoming disabled, and quite literally be an investment in my future. I would love to be able to have jobs and support myself, play the sport I love the most, continue getting a college education, be able to walk down the aisle to my future wedding, able to hold future children and grandchildren, and your donation is what will help me to do these things.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and for any donations! If you have any questions you can contact me through GoFundMe or message me on Facebook. God bless you!
Brenna Bloom
'But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.'
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
In these pictures of my feet, you can see the deformation that is beginning to occur
(these are videos of my hands, you can see the extreme deformity!)
This is how RA is beginning to affect my skin, nodules are showing up on my body that are semi-painful and very frustrating
https://www.cellmedicine.com/ (if you would like to learn more about the Stem Cell Institute)
As many of you know, I was diagnosed with Lyme Disease and Rheumatoid Arthritis when I was 13 years old. Let me take a second to explain what both of these are.
Lyme Disease is contracted through a tick, which passes parasites into my blood. These parasites then attack my entire body, starting off small with flu-like symptoms, minor aches and pains, exhaustion, that is often accompanied by a rash. Different people often have different symptoms, but my symptoms include extreme joint pain, constant fatigue, a very weak immune system, stomach problems, headaches, brain fog, and nausea. Lyme disease acts out like so many other diseases, which is why it is called the Great Imitator. The complexity of this disease makes it extremely difficult to diagnose, and even more difficult to treat. Throughout the past 7 years, I've seen a countless amount of doctors and specialists with the hopes of gaining my health back, but have had very minimal luck. I was so sick and malnourished that I should not be alive today.
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system – which normally protects its health by attacking foreign substances like bacteria and viruses – mistakenly attacks the joints. This creates inflammation that causes the tissue that lines the inside of joints (the synovium) to thicken, resulting in swelling and pain in and around the joints. The synovium makes a fluid that lubricates joints and helps them move smoothly. As the inflammation progresses, it can damage cartilage, the elastic tissue that covers the ends of bones in a joint, as well as the bones themselves. Over time, there is loss of cartilage, and the joint spacing between bones can become smaller. Joints can become loose, unstable, painful and lose their mobility.
Along with the destruction of joints, RA can also affect
Eyes. Dryness, pain, redness, sensitivity to light and impaired vision
Mouth. Dryness and gum irritation or infection
Skin. Rheumatoid nodules – small lumps under the skin over bony areas
Lungs. Inflammation and scarring that can lead to shortness of breath
Blood Vessels. Inflammation of blood vessels that can lead to damage in the nerves, skin and other organs
Blood. Anemia, a lower than normal number of red blood cells
Heart. Having RA doubles the risk of most heart problems
The typical treatment for RA is a steroid medication, which is intended to stop the swelling occurring in the joints, and prevent deformity and damage. Now the problem is that these medications wipe out the immune system, and as I have previously mentioned- because of having Lymes, my immune system pretty much doesn’t work already- so taking these medications have not been an option for me. I need as much of my immune system as I can get. These medications are also not good for your body in the long run. Hence why, for the past 7 years, it has been practically impossible for me to find anything that relieves my pain or stops these diseases from progressing. I had lost all hope of ever being healthy or pain-free again, I have accepted my pain and the constant state of sickness I am in. Within the past year, my hands have become so damaged- they do not even look my own hands anymore. I am unable to bend any of my fingers, and they hurt so bad it often makes me nauseated. The deformation in my hands is permanent, which is beyond discouraging for me but is only bound to get worse.
Just within the past month, my hands have indeed started to get worse, and my feet are beginning to hurt worse and also get deformed. My ankles are very swollen and constantly give out, my knees constantly hurt and I am often unable to bend or straighten them, which makes it very difficult to walk. My wrists, elbows, and shoulders are getting worse also, constantly really swollen and very difficult to move. Along with constant intense stabbing pain in my back, migraines, stomach pain, vertigo, and nausea life has been beyond difficult and is only becoming more difficult as time progresses. (I have attached videos and images of the damage done to my joints at the bottom of this page)
But do not get discouraged people, because a MIRACLE is in the workings.
This past week I stumbled upon a stem cell doctor here in Colorado Springs that recommended I try to get in contact with the Stem Cell Institute in Panama City. The doctors associated with this Institute have been able to practically cure people of a lot of diseases, specifically autoimmune diseases. There are thousands of people with Lymes and RA that have gone through Stem Cell Therapy, and are 100% pain-free, symptom-free and have gone on to live healthy lives. This clinic does not treat just anyone- so I had to go through an application process- and I am BEYOND excited to announce that this clinic has accepted my application and they are willing to treat me!! I just about cried when I received this news and am still in shock. The only problem is that this treatment is crazy expensive- and would take me years to save up for on my own. Now if time was not against me, and my diseases weren’t progressing so quickly and aggressively, this would not be a problem to raise on my own. But since all my joints are in danger of being damaged beyond repair I need this treatment as soon as possible. The longer I wait, the reality is that I will be unable to use my hands at all, unable to walk and wheelchair-bound, and more extreme damage will be done to my joints that is debilitating and PERMANENT.
Hence where I need your help, I need to raise $30,000 within the next month (I know that seems impossible to raise in such a short time but I know that with God, all things are possible!!). This will pay for the treatment itself, my travel expenses to Panama City (and also my mother's travel expenses).
Words seriously cannot express how much I would appreciate any sort of donation, or if you are unable to help financially- then please share my post or GoFundMe link to get it to as many people as possible. Your donation would prevent me from becoming disabled, and quite literally be an investment in my future. I would love to be able to have jobs and support myself, play the sport I love the most, continue getting a college education, be able to walk down the aisle to my future wedding, able to hold future children and grandchildren, and your donation is what will help me to do these things.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and for any donations! If you have any questions you can contact me through GoFundMe or message me on Facebook. God bless you!
Brenna Bloom
'But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.'
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
In these pictures of my feet, you can see the deformation that is beginning to occur (these are videos of my hands, you can see the extreme deformity!)
This is how RA is beginning to affect my skin, nodules are showing up on my body that are semi-painful and very frustrating
https://www.cellmedicine.com/ (if you would like to learn more about the Stem Cell Institute)