Medical fund

The picture you see is me in 2009 , three years later my life changed with my first Internal Carotid Artery Dissection on the Left and Thalamic Stroke while working at Camp Leatherneck in Afghanistan.  I was a vibrant, outgoing young woman.  I worked overseas in Iraq, Haiti then Afghanistan for years. I was in good health when this happened. 

The Neurosurgeon told me it was like a lightning strike and would never happen again... however I was left with terrible headaches every day and immediately lost a great percent of my ability to work like I used to and to think.

April 2015 I had another Internal Carotid Dissection on the Right side along with an Aneurysm.  The test they did to find out why I was still having problems on the left side was to go up the femoral artery to see the brain.. I had an aneurysm at the entry area a week later.  I decided to go to Cleveland Clinic for a good workup and found out I had a connective tissue disorder most like Vascular Ehler's Danlos Syndrome {VEDS}.  It's still not proven genetically and may never be.  They also found an aneurysm on my left kidney.

VEDS is 50% genetically possible to be passed onto my children and grandchildren.  There is no cure.  The only thing is to medicate and to control the symptoms as they come along.  I see signs of this disease in my children, grandchildren, sister, niece and nephews...  It's a terrible thing to have run in your family.  I am not a surgical candidate... according to my Vascular Surgeon my arteries are like tissue paper, stitches in them would never hold.

If you haven't seen me... I now use a cane to walk when I leave my home.  My cousin Chuck Baily built me a ramp so that I don't have to climb stairs going up to my mother's house.  I have lost a small percentage of my vision. I no longer work or drive myself.  Not the fun person I used to be LOL.

My husband had a work injury and had rotator cuff surgery in January, his dominant left arm is in a sling for the next 3 months.  He is off work, waiting on work man's comp. We are doing the best we can right now.  He and mom are talking care of me with much love.

I had a pain pump placed in December, after that I had problems with swelling in my legs.  We have just found out that the swelling is due to Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) and that I need to see a Cardiologist.

I have dropped my pride and am asking for help...  Going back and forth to the doctor's at Oschner's in New Orleans has been very expensive... Our coinsurance is $7,500 per year.  I have bills from last year being sent to collection and now I am now starting this year’s collection of bills, with this new diagnosis will come more testing… 

I’m tired and just can’t do this alone anymore… Gilbert and I are asking for any assistance however small... When we’re back on our feet… we will help you just ask.  We thank you in advance for your help! I warn you that if you talk to me or look at me with sympathy it makes me cry… Love you all…