Help get Kristen Bernard (FDNY EMT) a service dog
Donation protected
Hi everyone, I am fundraising for my friend Kristen Bernard so she can receive a service dog to help her with her Epilepsy. Kristen is in dire need of a service dog. Due to her living alone a trained service dog will be needed to alert her if she is about to have a seizure. Also, her service dog would be trained to alert others or alert 911 as well. However, her insurance through the FDNY does not cover the costs that it would take for the dog to become trained to help assist her daily life. Please help raise money to get Kristen this life-saving service animal, that she so desperately needs. Any amount of money donated is greatly appreciated and means the world to Kristen as well as myself to help keep my best friend safe. Also, if there is any extra money that is raised it will be donated to Epilepsy research.
If you are interested to learn more about how Kristen was diagnosed you can read more about her journey below:
If you are interested to learn more about how Kristen was diagnosed you can read more about her journey below:
In the summer of 2019 I was sitting at work and felt extremely off. I couldn’t speak or get anyone’s attention, I was only able to move my foot. Next thing I knew I was on the floor with my fellow FDNY co-workers around me getting me on to the stretcher. I remember being at the hospital. But, the hospital was brushing it off telling me to follow up with my doctor. So I paid no mind because the hospital wasn’t worried so I thought why should I be?
Then it kept happening, so finally I followed up with a neurologist because I couldn’t live feeling like this anymore. They ran many tests and it came back that I had generalized epilepsy. They put me on a low dose of Keppra hoping that will help me. But, I kept having little break through seizures.
In the summer of 2020, my friend had to rush me to the hospital because my seizure wouldn’t break. While in the ambulance I stopped breathing. Finally they were able to get me to breathe again. The hospital was able to get my seizures to stop and they upped my does of medicine. After that in November 2020 they couldn’t help me with an easy fix. I continued to have seizures. I again had a seizure. I wouldn’t stop seizing they tried everything. This seizure lasted for about three hours! I went into respiratory arrest and was put in the ICU. Then they decided to put me into a medical induced coma for 5 long days! This was done because they were worried about my brain function after seizing for so long along with going into respiratory arrest. After that they again upped my medication.
From November until June I was on the up and up doing really well and feeling great. Until July 2021 when I had another seizure. This seizure wouldn’t stop. I was admitted again to the hospital for another 5 days and again they had to make the decision about intubation. Luckily, my seizure broke before having to go through that again. When I woke up I did not remember much of what happened but my medication was changed again. Hopefully with this new medication change it will continue to help me.
Organizer and beneficiary
Bridget Moore
Organizer
Wantagh, NY
Kristen Bernard
Beneficiary
