Lynn is raising money to help her husband, Jeff, afford chemotherapy treatments for her autoimmune rheumatic disease, systemic Scleroderma.
Due to the effects of this devastating disease, Lynn can no longer work though she has continued to try. Her insurance does not cover a majority of her treatments, leaving her family in debt with increasing medical costs.
What is systemic Scleroderma ?
Scleroderma is a connective tissue disease that is pretty rare. Only 300,000 Americans have Scleroderma, and only one-third of those have the serious form like Lynn has. It is not contagious, and it occurs more frequently in woman than men. The onset of the disease is typically between 25-55 years of age.
The disease has many debilitating health problems and chronic pain that come along with it. There is no cure.
Those health problems include:
• Pulmonary Fibrosis (scaring of the lungs)
• Coronary Artery Disease (4 stents in heart valves)
• Raynaud’s disease (coldness and numbness)
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease
• Chronic cough
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
Lynn has been to the hospital several times for Scleroderma complications such as Pneumonia, heart attack, heart surgery and closed esophagus.
Every six months she undergoes esophageal dilation where her doctor runs an endoscope through her mouth and into her esophagus, and a dilating balloon inflates inside her throat to stretch out her esophagus.
The esophageal complications prevent her from being able to properly swallow food resulting in unwanted weight loss and weakness.
Her latest complication from lung disease sent her to the hospital the day after the New Year where she stayed for a week.
Doctors say her only next hope is chemotherapy shots.
A day in the life:
Each morning Lynn awakens to chronic pain, uncertainty and stiffness. Scleroderma causes hardening of the skin that starts at her fingertips and stretches across her entire body.
"Scleroderma" is named after two Greek words: "sclero" meaning "hard," and "derma" meaning "skin."
Every little movement she makes causes a ripping sensation and pain. Ever had an "Indian burn" as a kid? That's the pain she constantly feels all over her body.
Her hands are so swollen and stiff that she has trouble writing, cooking, and driving. Her skin is stretched so tight that she cannot lift her arms over her head to change her shirts.
Simply turning her head to the left or right causes pain.
Lynn runs out of breath just making the bed. Several times a day she has to do breathing treatments to help open airways that are constantly tightening.
Her body is essentially attacking itself.
Because of this, she has to take 17 different types of medications each day, including anticoagulants, steroids, heart medication, anti-anxiety and anti-depressants.
The cocktail of medications affects her ability to focus and complete tasks leaving her frustrated and exhausted.
As someone who has worked her whole life, it is heart-wrenching for her to sit in bed each day in pain, accumulating debt and unable to afford the medicine she needs to keep going.
Anything you could contribute would be much appreciated.
Thank you.
Due to the effects of this devastating disease, Lynn can no longer work though she has continued to try. Her insurance does not cover a majority of her treatments, leaving her family in debt with increasing medical costs.
What is systemic Scleroderma ?
Scleroderma is a connective tissue disease that is pretty rare. Only 300,000 Americans have Scleroderma, and only one-third of those have the serious form like Lynn has. It is not contagious, and it occurs more frequently in woman than men. The onset of the disease is typically between 25-55 years of age.
The disease has many debilitating health problems and chronic pain that come along with it. There is no cure.
Those health problems include:
• Pulmonary Fibrosis (scaring of the lungs)
• Coronary Artery Disease (4 stents in heart valves)
• Raynaud’s disease (coldness and numbness)
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease
• Chronic cough
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
Lynn has been to the hospital several times for Scleroderma complications such as Pneumonia, heart attack, heart surgery and closed esophagus.
Every six months she undergoes esophageal dilation where her doctor runs an endoscope through her mouth and into her esophagus, and a dilating balloon inflates inside her throat to stretch out her esophagus.
The esophageal complications prevent her from being able to properly swallow food resulting in unwanted weight loss and weakness.
Her latest complication from lung disease sent her to the hospital the day after the New Year where she stayed for a week.
Doctors say her only next hope is chemotherapy shots.
A day in the life:
Each morning Lynn awakens to chronic pain, uncertainty and stiffness. Scleroderma causes hardening of the skin that starts at her fingertips and stretches across her entire body.
"Scleroderma" is named after two Greek words: "sclero" meaning "hard," and "derma" meaning "skin."
Every little movement she makes causes a ripping sensation and pain. Ever had an "Indian burn" as a kid? That's the pain she constantly feels all over her body.
Her hands are so swollen and stiff that she has trouble writing, cooking, and driving. Her skin is stretched so tight that she cannot lift her arms over her head to change her shirts.
Simply turning her head to the left or right causes pain.
Lynn runs out of breath just making the bed. Several times a day she has to do breathing treatments to help open airways that are constantly tightening.
Her body is essentially attacking itself.
Because of this, she has to take 17 different types of medications each day, including anticoagulants, steroids, heart medication, anti-anxiety and anti-depressants.
The cocktail of medications affects her ability to focus and complete tasks leaving her frustrated and exhausted.
As someone who has worked her whole life, it is heart-wrenching for her to sit in bed each day in pain, accumulating debt and unable to afford the medicine she needs to keep going.
Anything you could contribute would be much appreciated.
Thank you.