Help Shayna Get Vital Surgery in Nashville

My sister Shayna, at just 34 years old, has shown remarkable resilience in the face of adversity. In March 2023, she took a proactive step towards a healthier life by undergoing weight loss surgery. Although she faced unforeseen challenges, including constant illness, inability to eat, and drastic weight loss, her determination remained unshaken. By late 2024, she had to be hospitalized for malnutrition and received a feeding tube, which unfortunately failed, leading to the placement of a PICC line to administer life-sustaining liquid nutrients. Undeterred, she underwent revision surgery in December 2024, which, although complicated, has brought her closer to recovery. Now, she is taking a courageous step by seeking specialized care from a vascular surgeon at Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville, as local surgeons in Kentucky are unable to perform the required surgery. Despite experiencing constant pain and struggling to eat, her spirit remains unbroken. Having transformed her life from weighing close to 350 pounds to the 130s, she is now focused on regaining her strength and well-being. As a devoted single mother of two young girls, ages 13 and 10, who is disabled and unable to work, she is an inspiration to all who know her. I am compelled to help raise funds to support her journey, enabling her to rent a reliable vehicle, cover gas, food, and hotel expenses, so she can have her girls by her side during this challenging time.

Full details of her medical history:

Story Time from Shayna

I had gastric sleeve surgery on March 30th, 2023. About 6 months post op I started noticing pain after swallowing and I was getting sick. Went to my surgeon and they told me I just wasn’t chewing my food good enough. It kept getting worse and when I went back for my 1 year check up they told me to go back to liquids and “reset” my pouch. Went back in September of 2024. I wasn’t tolerating by liquids. I couldn’t eat. I was malnourished and about dead. They admitted me and decided to place a feeding tube. After numerous tests they finally figured out after all this time my body had built scar tissue up around my pouch and it was closed off and at multiple points. They left the feeding tube in for 3 weeks but ended up removing it because my intestines had went to sleep. Got my first picc line placed in December. Had revision surgery on the 16th of that month. Thought it everything was fixed. Tried to drink and eat and still had pain. Found out in January 2025 that my celiac artery is being compressed and I have 2 speenic aneurysms causing my pain. But because of my intense weight loss and malnutrition I now have spinal issues causing paralysis of my right leg and I have to have spinal surgery as well.