Help Lauren Heal: A Journey of Recovery and Hope

Hey friends and family,

Life has thrown me a curveball, and I wanted to share my near-death experience with you, hoping to find some empathy, support, and assistance during the most challenging time in my life.

On the night of June 7th, my partner Louis and I had just begun our road trip. We were having a blast at Meow Wolf in Santa Fe, dancing to a DJ performance. Everything was fine, and we were so happy. After returning to the RV, I woke up at 4 am with excruciating stomach pain. I waited to see if it would pass, but it only worsened. Louis rushed me to the ER, where my life was changed forever.

The first hospital experience in Santa Fe was like hell on Earth. Despite numerous tests and consultations with doctors and nurses, they couldn't pinpoint the issue. Eventually, they discovered I had an intestinal obstruction and inserted a tube through my nose into my stomach to address it. Little did I know, it was far more serious. After a week, they informed me that I needed surgery and had to transfer to a hospital in Albuquerque. A bed didn't open up for two days, but once I arrived, I underwent emergency surgery due to my elevated heart rate. It turned out I had not just a bowel obstruction, but also a twist, an internal hernia, a perforation, and sepsis. Feces were floating freely inside my body. When I woke up from anesthesia, I had an ostomy bag on my abdomen, two drains, and a 12-inch wound with a wound vac.

The healing process has been brutal and I still have a long road ahead of me. I developed complications, including an abscess that required another surgery and then a distended stomach that led to another tube insertion for nine days. The pain from sepsis, surgeries, the abscess, the distended stomach, the NG tubes, and constant poking and prodding has been so exhausting. This level of pain is something most people never experience in their lifetime. I have been in the hospital, far from friends and family, for eight weeks now. They still haven't managed to control my high-output ostomy, which leaves me dehydrated and depletes my electrolytes, despite trying all possible medications. I will need to go home with a PIC line in my arm for IV hydration and home healthcare.

I'm starting this funding request because I haven't had any income for the past two months and won't be able to work moving forward due to the high maintenance required for my high-output ileostomy. This situation will last about a year until I have another surgery for a reversal or redo. Applying for disability takes many months and isn't guaranteed to be approved.

If I undergo a reversal to restore normal bowel function, there's a high risk of complications, including the possibility of this happening again or even death from sepsis. If I opt for a redo, I'll have the ostomy for life, which comes with its own risks, maintenance, and restrictions. The toll on my mental health is significant. Your contributions will not only help pay my bills and medical supplies but also provide some peace of mind as I navigate life with my new body.

Thank you all for taking the time to read this and for your sympathy and support. Words cannot express my gratitude enough. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I love you all so much!

P.S. I really appreciate this company, but if you dont want this company to take any cut , you can send via Venmo @SpiritSister