Hello from me and April my support bear from the ICU at the Abbotsford Hospital.

I have started this post about a dozen times as what do I say, how do I articulate what I want to say, what is to much, what is to little to say.

So let me start at the beginning of my journey that has led me here today, and if you are still with me at the end, thank you!

My journey like every ones journey started when we were all about to start the longest journey of our lives. Little did I know that not only were we in this battle dodging this crappy Covid, but there was a battle inside my body that was just starting to charge up this battle war was about to get started somewhere around July.

It started with a cramp in my arm and into my hands and fingers of my left hand and from there started a progression like none other.

During the next 8 months my body was fighting itself left, right, and center and each day brought on a new challenge and new symptom.

I knew that things were not right and I suspected that it was myasthenia gravis, the same autoimmune disorder that my late grandmother had, whom we lost May 1st, 2020.

Once things started in my hand I lost all dexterity and my left hand became useless pretty much. I then realized I could not roll myself over in my bed, I couldn't climb up on a chair, I couldn't get off the toilet, I struggled to get in my son's pick up.

Suddenly I couldn't sneeze, now if you know me my sneezes are events that could rattle windows and buildings, when one of my great rumbles were about to happen those who required silence shuddered and my sneeze or ability to do so was gone. I couldn't cough, hiccup, yawn.

I knew something was not right, but I didn't think it was bad. I still thought nope this has to be myasthenia gravis. So many of my symptoms were exactly what my grandma had. I knew this disease, my grandma was the strongest woman I knew, she gave me my strength my whole life, my take charge and don't let anyone stop me attitude.

Fast forward to October. October was when things really changed. I finally made an over the phone appointment with my doctor and let him know what was going on and what I suspected. He requested the blood work, as well as some other stuff as I am type 2 diabetic as well and had some other numbers to get tested.

Things began to progress and my mobility started to be impacted. I started falling and could not get myself up. I had a follow up phone appointment with my doctor and they would not do the myasthenia gravis test as it had to come from a specialist. I explained to my doctor something was not right!

He then made the decision to send me to the neurologist. We had an appointment at the end of November and he was able to do an assessment and ordered a CT scan of my aneurysm, an MRI and some nerve conducting tests.

Fast forward to February, my symptoms continued to get worse and my poor amazing partner had a workplace injury October that has essentially ended his career and he's been looking after me through this all when he should have been focusing more on his rehabilitation.

Unfortunately in February I ended up on our floor and he was not able to lift me, we were forced at this point to call an ambulance and I had to spend 2 weeks in my local hospital in Chilliwack to see if we could expedite my MRI and CT scan.

We were able to get the CT scan as I could lay on my side, but come the moment of the MRI scan I could not lay on my back as I immediately feel I'm being suffocated, this had been occurring for months.

We had to stop and they cut me lose from the hospital, talk about feeling completely and totally dejected.

I went home and continued to get weaker, but finally got my appointment to see my neurologist again for the IMG testing on April 9th. This is what we prayed would give us some answers. The doctor proceeded to complete the IMG tests acting quite excited that he had it figured out and that it was 100% in my nerves and it was treatable, then hammer down and BOOM!!! Another bomb shell, you're being admitted you ate not going home in this condition.

Let me tell you the relief was instant, the fear was real, the validation was everything!

Now here we are present date and have been thrown into the longest and biggest emotional roller coaster of our lives. My health had deteriorated at a rapid rate. There is an army of doctors on my case trying to figure this out.

They have at this time given us the most divistating of answers and told me this past week that I have ALS. There is a side of me that states that they are actually wrong and am still holding out for hope that it is still something else.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (a-my-o-TROE-fik LAT-ur-ul skluh-ROE-sis), or ALS, is a progressive nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing loss of muscle control. ALS is often called Lou Gehrig's disease, after the baseball player who was diagnosed.

I feel that there is always hope and that miracles also happen everyday. I have been witness to many in my lifetime.

Right now I'm where I need to be to gain strength and stability to go home wherever and whenever that might be, either a new place that will be better suited for me or with upgrades where we live which I doubt will happen as we rent.

Whatever the future holds we will roll with the punches.

The purpose of this Go Fund Me Campaign is that I am going to require to move. As is our house is not adequately set up for me to go there once I am strong enough to be released. As everyone knows it is a very volatile rental market out there for both renters and purchaser's it is a dog eat dog market out there and we need to have the means and finds immediately available to us in order to secure the right place for me to safely transition to once I can get out of here.

As we all know not having the worry of finding the right place, affording to pay damage and first months rent as well as paying forward a few months would give tremendous piece of mind.

Thank you all for hearing my story and for any help that you may be able to provide!!!!

God bless you all.

Trisha Seltenrich