Help Us Get Our Paea Back
For those of you that don't know, Paea got a bad strep infection at age 11 which, as it now turns out, developed into PANDAS (short for Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections).
Since this age, Paea suddenly began to develop strange symptoms that no one was able to diagnose at the time.
In 2019, Paea had a bad flare up due to the damage that PANDAS had done to her brain and only then was it clear what she had been dealing with since 2014.
Paea has had to relocate from New Zealand to the Gold Coast, Australia as she was told that there simply was not enough medical support in New Zealand for her, where her parents, Ray and Deb live. She is now seeing multiple GPs, Psychologists and Neurologists who are working tirelessly to find a way to reverse or treat the damage that her brain has sustained from untreated PANDAS. Life is extremely difficult for Paea in her current state. The normal things a teenage girl should be doing are not possible for her. Paea is not able to drive, her reading and writing level has been stunted, she barely sleeps, she cannot socialise, she has terrifying obtrusive thoughts throughout the day. We often find her crying inconsolably. It's like she is trapped inside and we need help to get her out. Paea had goals of finishing her school year with good grade levels so she could go to TAFE and do a beautician course. She hoped to be able to babysit her little niece and nephews. To hang out with her friends in a time of her life when she should not have a care in the world. But instead, she sits at home all day, every day, exhausted, not being able to do anything or communicate with anyone. A lonely, quiet existence.
Unfortunately, this is not a common infection or treatment process, so there is no bulk-billed support for the countless tests and appointments that Paea has to have. Some of these blood tests are upwards of $300, and each Neurologist appointment is upwards of $400. Paea's mum, Deb, has had to temporarily move over to Australia to get Paea to these tests and appointments and is obviously not able to work while doing so. Her husband, Ray, is back home in New Zealand and about to have a double hip replacement which will require a minimum 6 week recovery time while still recovering from a snapped Achilles Tendon. The emotional and physical toll has already been unbearable for our family and the added pressure of coming up with the funds to Get Our Paea Back has not helped.
We do not ask for much, please only donate what you can manage. These funds will not only assist with living costs, paying for tests and appointments, but they will also pay for the fuel to get to appointments and the countless flights to and from New Zealand that Deb will have to take in order to go back and assist Ray with his double hip replacement recovery and then returning to get help for Paea.
We thank you for taking the time to read this. We will be providing updates on Paea's treatment and journey to get back to normal. We hope that Paea herself will be able to thank each and every one of you soon.
With love from the Reweti family.
