Help Suzanne Breathe – Severe Nasal Damage and Empty Nose Syndrome
Dear Friends, Family, and Kind Supporters,
My name is Patrick, and I'm reaching out on behalf of my wife, Suzanne. For more than three years, Suzanne has been living with nasal damage and Empty Nose Syndrome (ENS), a serious condition resulting from complications of nasal surgeries. What began as a routine corrective procedure has left her struggling daily with severe breathing difficulties, chronic insomnia, anxiety, profound depression, nausea, chronic fatigue, and the fight to simply live.
Empty Nose Syndrome (ENS) occurs when nasal turbinates—the structures that help filter, warm, regulate, and humidify air—are damaged or reduced. Patients often experience a paradoxical sensation of suffocation despite open nasal passages, along with dryness, panic, sleep disruption, and significant impacts on daily life. Suzanne's symptoms have made it impossible for her to work, leading to a disability diagnosis and heavy financial strain on our family.
Suzanne's Journey: In March 2023, Suzanne underwent what was supposed to be a routine nasal surgery. Instead, it left her with devastating complications: a broken septum, medial nasal valve collapse, and significant facial nerve damage. In January 2024, Suzanne underwent a second surgery intended to correct the damage from the first procedure. Unfortunately, the procedure made her condition dramatically worse. The surgery resulted in turbinate reduction resulting in ENS, a septoplasty yet leaving her with a 6mm deviated septum restricting airflow, and additonal nerve damage. Since then, Suzanne has endured constant respiratory distress, central nervous system dysfunction, debilitating sleep deprivation, PTSD-like symptoms, and severe cognitive challenges that have completely upended her daily life.
We have traveled several times both internationally and across the United States, consulting many specialists experienced in complex nasal issues. These experts have diagnosed Suzanne with Empty Nose Syndrome (ENS) and helped outline a clear treatment plan. This includes reconstructive nasal valve collapse surgery, nasal bone spur removal, and rib cartilage grafting to rebuild both the septum and the over-resected inferior turbinate. The first procedure will take place in California, and the second in Ohio. The plan also involves extensive ongoing supportive therapies to aid healing and manage symptoms: hyperbaric oxygen therapy, acupuncture, and IV infusions.
Why These Specific Surgeries and Therapies Will Help
The recommended reconstructive procedures are designed to directly address the nasal structure and root causes of Suzanne’s Empty Nose Syndrome. Surgeons will correct her deviated septum to equalize airflow on both sides, remove donor cartilage and replace it with Suzanne’s own living rib cartilage. Using her own tissue offers a better long-term outcome with less risk of rejection or failure compared to foreign material. They will also remove a bone spur that is currently deviating the septum and compressing the remaining turbinate tissue, which should reduce her frequent headaches and eye strain while opening the airway for more natural breathing. Finally, fat grafting will help plump up and restore volume to the over-resected inferior turbinate, improving its ability to humidify and regulate airflow. These surgical corrections, combined with supportive therapies such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy, acupuncture, and IV infusions, will aid healing, reduce inflammation, and support overall recovery.
Unfortunately, Suzanne does not have health insurance, and even comprehensive coverage typically does not include these specialized treatments, as ENS remains underrecognized with no dedicated medical code. All costs—consultations, procedures, follow-up care, travel, lodging, and supplies—must be paid out of pocket. We've personally funded over $200,000 in out-of-pocket medical expenses for this condition and are now in need of financial support for the upcoming treatment plan.
How Your Support Will Help: Time is critical. Suzanne continues to endure relentless daily torment from constant respiratory distress and suffocation-like sensations that are profoundly debilitating. We are urgently seeking $55,000 to fund her procedures and give her the best chance at relief:
- $45,000 for the recommended reconstructive procedures (including nasal valve repair, bone spur removal, and rib cartilage grafting) and related medical expenses
- $10,000 for travel to California and Ohio, lodging, medications, humidification equipment, and supportive therapies
Your support — whether through a contribution, sharing this page, or simply sending prayers — means more than you can imagine. All donations will go directly to Suzanne's medical care. We will happily provide regular updates with progress and redacted receipts.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
With sincere gratitude,
Patrick and Suzanne
Sneak Peek into Suzanne's Life Before Nasal Surgery
Suzanne was a vibrant, spontaneous woman who radiated positive energy and an infectious love for life. A devoted wife, she is the proud mother of five children and has eight grandchildren, with a ninth on the way. An optimistic hard worker with a deeply spiritual side, Suzanne found joy in outdoor recreational activities, tended her garden with care, and delighted in cooking for her family. Outgoing and full of life, she approached every day with enthusiasm, inspiring those around her with her warmth, resilience, and unwavering zest for living. For the past twenty years, she thrived while homeschooling our children, and we worked side by side to successfully run our small business. She was happy, spiritual, selfless, and endlessly giving, always putting others before herself.
How nasal damage and ENS has impacted Suzanne
Today, a severe physical disability has stolen all of that from her. She must humbly rely on me and the family for every aspect of her care, no longer able to cook, garden, work, or even care for herself the way her heart still longs to. Frozen in suffering and isolated from the world she once embraced so fully, Suzanne quietly struggles each day, her former joy, optimism, and vibrant spirit dimmed by a life she can no longer live.
Reclaiming Her Life After Treatment
With successful treatment, Suzanne will finally be able to reclaim the simple joys she’s been missing for over three years. She looks forward to breathing freely without the constant sensation of suffocation, enjoying restful sleep, and regaining the energy to work, spend quality time with family, and simply feel human again. Everyday activities—like walking, exercising, or even just relaxing without panic—may become possible once more, allowing her to rebuild her physical and emotional well-being.
Suzanne wants you to know: "I miss the simple ability to breathe and physically function. I miss feeling human. With your help, I can continue fighting to regain my health and quality of life."
Empty Nose Syndrome is an incredibly cruel and life-altering condition. No description can fully capture the daily torment it causes — the constant feeling of suffocation, the exhaustion, the pain, and the profound impact on every aspect of daily living.
To truly understand the magnitude of what Suzanne has been enduring, we invite you to watch her personal YouTube videos. They offer a raw and honest look into her daily struggle and the heavy toll this condition has taken on her physical and emotional well-being.
Raw and Honest Shorts:
Deep Heartfelt Suffering: