It Takes a Village! International Endo Surgery

Hi my name is Amy Langa and I am doing this GoFundMe for my dear friend Christie Foster. We met while both of our families were stationed at Fort Drum, NY, just a few years ago.

 

She and I met at the YMCA with our two boys each, on the SAME day our husbands met at work, while doing their “Army helicoptering” thing. We all came home saying “hey I met someone cool today!” And then we found out how much we could lean on each other and needed that exact friendship, right then! For she and I, our boys, and our husbands as well, it was just a great fit.

 

After meeting, we leaned on each other for support, friendship, family fun, watched each others kids if needed, carpooled, shared holidays together and celebrated small and big successes.

 

Fast forward to now. We have all since relocated to PA and VA, as my husband has retired from the military and her husband, Ben, is nearing retirement as well. Christie has been suffering from endometriosis for as long as I’ve known her, plus add to that it being a rare type of endometriosis on the sciatic AND sacral nerves. 

 

In addition to endometriosis, it was also discovered that she has acromegaly, which most of us haven’t even heard of. It is very rare and it is unknown if it correlates to endometriosis at all. It involves a noncancerous tumor on the pituitary gland that can affect growth hormone regulation. 

For as long as I’ve know her, she has been in pain. But she always stays active and positive and her family is so used to constant movement, outdoorsy adventures and keeps carrying on. She is a very involved mom and very passionate about her family. But she can’t enjoy life to its fullest with this constant, ongoing, and unpredictable pain.

 

She has already had 3 surgeries in Washington and Atlanta, on her widespread endometriosis and then a recent one in Boston on her pituitary tumor. She has tried strong meds that have all kinds of side effects and long term unknowns. Then with Covid she has had to endure a very isolating time while trying to keep healthy in addition to planning these surgeries.

 

Now, for the sacral  and sciatic endometriosis, she is going to travel to a team of doctors experienced in this exact procedure. But they are located in BRAZIL!! This is sciatic and sacral endometriosis surgery by a neuropelviologist...as there are no doctors in America yet with adequate training in neuropelviology to handle her severe and rare case. 

 

Supposedly and hopefully military Tricare will cover the main medical expenses, but the travel and accommodations and who knows what other expenses will be on her and her family. She also needs to remain in Brazil for the recovery, which at minimum will be three weeks.

 

Please consider helping out in any way you are able. It can be any amount that you are able to give. Every bit counts and we can all be a village of support for her during this scary procedure on her tailbone/sacral nerves and sciatic nerves. I would love to see her relieved of some (or all) of her constant pain and all are praying for no other complications!

 

Let’s offset any of the stress of either uncovered medical expenses, travel there and back plus accommodations, unexpected fees while abroad, costs for the time there while recovering, or for her kids’ expenses and well being back home!!!!

Some of you might not even know she has been enduring all of this. She is a private person and has struggled through this quietly and privately. Let's show her she has a community surrounding her with love. And we pray for the doctors as well. Women's health is so understudied and finding thorough and expert care for rare conditions or chronic pain is no exception.

 

Christie, you are strong and we lift you up in prayer, strength and in healing!!!! She and her husband, Ben, leave THIS month for the surgery. Please keep their family in your thoughts and consider a donation to offset their costs and all of their added stress the past few years.  Thank you in advance to anyone who donates and who lifts her up in prayer.