Jennifer Marconi (medical bills)

Jen Marconi is 43 years old and has had Parathyromatosis for twenty years.  She is confined to a hospital bed, unable to move anything but her right hand and left arm.  She is visited as often as possible by her loving mother, Pat, and her faithful, funny boyfriend, Joe.  She has been in and out of the hospital for years, battling her condition.  We are hoping to raise enough money to give her some relief from the piling medical bills.  Any help you can give them would be so appreciated... even just a few dollars...and of course, prayers would be lovely too.

Here is Jen's story...

Many years ago Jen's parathyroid was removed...and at that time, there was some spillage of tumor cells, which resulted in 15 tumors.  These tumors began to feed off the calcium from her bones.  Her bones were being depleted of calcium, but the calcium was still in her body.  In 2014 Jen had so much excess calcium, she needed to start having the calcium drained from her bloodstream every month, which eventually became every two months, and then three times a week.  She was constantly having the excess calcium removed, and remember, none was going into her bones. 

One day, in 2016 Jen wasn't able to get out of her mom’s car.  She was in so much pain, an ambulance was called and they discovered that her hip was fractured.  There had been no accident or injury...her hip was just broken.  While doing tests and taking x-rays at the hospital, Jen's other hip broke ….and then a femur…and then the other femur...and soon after, her arm broke, all while under medical care!  Because her bones had been depleted of all calcium, her bones just kept breaking, and with no calcium, they couldn’t heal. 

Her Nephrologist, Dr. Steward Sprague, began to treat Jen by starving her body of calcium.  When the body is starved of calcium, the body starts to crave it, something called Hungry Bone Syndrome.  After some time, it worked...her body started to crave calcium and her bones started to "drink" the calcium in!

Once this started, Jen had to stay in the hospital and receive a calcium drip daily.  The amount of calcium they were giving Jen would kill a "normal" person, but Jen's body began to soak it up and use it.  Her bones around the rods in her legs began to grow back!  

She then went to rehab in order to begin moving again, and in November of 2016 Jen finally went home!  In 2017 she began to work on walking again!  Things were finally starting to get better.

However, sadly, at the end of 2017 her kidneys stopped working.  Jen went back into the hospital near Christmas to begin dialysis.  She had another tumor removed from her neck and a nerve was damaged.  She has no use of her right arm.  On New Year’s Day Jen had a close brush with death.  A tumor was blocking her colon, causing her sepsis (a blood infection).  Thankfully, they were able to remove it in time and clear the sepsis. 

Jen continues her stay in the hospital on dialysis.  She is not eligible for a transplant because her condition is considered terminal.  She cannot walk.  She is only able to move her right hand and her left arm.  Her boyfriend of five years, Joe, and Jen's mom Pat, are with her at the hospital as often as they can be. 

She receives some physical therapy and they are controlling her pain.  Please continue to pray for Jen.  She has spent most of the last few years in a hospital bed and would love to go home and get stronger.  Any help you can give them will go toward medical expenses. 

Please join us on March 31st at Happy Hour Yoga in Crystal Lake for a fun yoga practice, followed by some time for prayers for Jen.  The FUNraiser takes place from 11:30 to 1:00 pm.  If you are unable to make it, please send up a prayer between 12:30 pm and 1:00 pm that afternoon.  We’d love your help that way…flooding Heaven with some hope, courage and strength for Jen and all those who love her.  

Thank you so much for your time and for your gift to Jen.