I need medical treatment in Brisbane

Hello,

Firstly, thank you for taking the time to read this, it will be long I’m sure I have always been a fiercely independent woman so even writing this is very difficult for me. I am usually the one helping others, not the one asking for help

10 months ago now, I started getting constant chest and abdomen pain, vomiting, and started losing weight.

I required an iron infusion at work in my lunch break and have presented to ED several times when the pain has been so unbearable that I almost pass out.

I have had pneumonia 4 times in 12 months and I have been home from work all week with what I believe is my 5th episode.

I have seen surgeons on 3 occasions, have had an endoscopy with biopsy, colonoscopy with biopsy and so many scans that I’m sure I now glow in the dark. These have all been months apart with me suffering from intense pain, weight loss, nausea and vomiting the whole time.

I have a hiatus hernia that has gotten bigger and I am aspirating acid into my lungs every night when I lay down to go to sleep. I have damage to both my lungs and a partially collapsed left lung because of this. I am constantly tired as oxygen is not being moved around my body as effectively as it used to be.

I have barely been able to eat (I vomit most of it back up) and have lost around 18 kilos that I couldn’t afford to lose. I am hungry all the time and feel like I am literally starving to death. I used to have a full head of very thick dark brown hair and in the past month, 75% of it has fallen out due to a lack of vitamins and stress on my body. I can no longer go out in public without wearing a covering on my head.

I have been accused by medical professionals of pulling my own hair out due to stress and having an eating disorder, neither of which is true. I got referred to mental health and the triage nurse called me and discharged me from their service straight away but this will now be on my record at the hospital.

After 5 months under specialist care (and with everything remaining exactly the same as it was when I first saw them), I have now been deemed ‘complicated’ and referred to the RBWH.

I called outpatients there and after 1 1/2 hours on hold to even speak to someone, the lady told me that the wait time for an appointment with gastro surgery is at least 3 months, probably more. My body and spirit cannot possibly last another 3 months.

At the moment I either go to work in extreme pain or stay home on leave without pay.

I have children who need me so I have made the very hard decision to ask the public for support to get me to Brisbane, fixed and back home to my children, my life and my work. I am truly stuck between a rock and a hard place.

I have decided that rather than wait 3 months or more and continue to deteriorate, I’m going to drive to Brisbane and present to the RBWH at their emergency department.

I aim to leave in a few weeks time once the kids have finished school for the term, I have been to appointments I’ve been waiting more than 6 months for and I’m hoping to have a couple of small fundraisers prior to leaving.

Funds will be used to cover my rent, electricity, phone and food costs for my family while I am away. Also a service that my car needs desperately before I make the drive, fuel costs and things I need while in Brisbane.

My daughter also has an academic excellence camp to attend with money being due in July.

I am unsure of how long I will be there as I don’t know what the drs mean by ‘complicated’

Thank you for reading this til the end and please know that I am extremely grateful of all donations big or small. Every little bit will help me get back to eating, being pain free and return to the happy bubbly person I was prior to the beginning of this