Vanessa's Road to Recovery
Donation protected
I would like to start by thanking you all for taking the time, and having the interest in reading further about our dearest Vanessa. May you be forever blessed for having a kind heart and may your kindness & generosity be returned back to you!
Vanessa is a dedicated, hardworking, kind hearted and easy going 16 year old girl. I’ve watched Vanessa grow from an infant to a beautiful young lady. She’s a reserved, content, sweet girl who’s great to be around. She’s the kind of girl that doesn’t make her presence noticed but her absence is definitely felt. She has the personality that allows a person to be themselves, and not feel threatened or judged. It’s truly a beautiful gift that she’s able to give to others.
I last saw Vanessa on November 14th, her parents hosted our grandmother’s 80th birthday and Vanessa ran the kitchen effortlessly. I’ve never seen a harder working young lady. I remember acknowledging & complementing her hard work, and even joked about taking her home with me.
Four days after that party her parents, Hilary & Josh noticed a change in her behavior. They were unable to have a normal conversation with her. She had cognitive impairment, loss of appetite and her motor skills were reducing rapidly. Concerned for their daughter’s health they brought her to the local hospital emergency department. They performed a CT scan and blood work. Everything came back normal. The hospital diagnosis was dehydration and insomnia. Since nothing abnormal was found, they dismissed her & sent her home. As the week went by her behavior became more unusual. She was having involuntary movements, altered levels of consciousness, agitation, and poor Vanessa was unable to sleep and unaware of her surroundings. After a few days of watching their daughter suffer, they decided they’ve had enough, and drove her to a University hospital over 60 miles from their home for a second opinion.
The doctors knew right away that she had a very rare condition. The next day they ran more tests: an MRI, a full body scan, additional blood work, and a spinal tap. After review, most of the tests came back normal; finally something abnormal was found in the spinal fluid. The tests revealed that Vanessa was suffering from a brain infection. From there the doctors developed a treatment plan. After the first day of treatment Vanessa seemed to be back, she was coherent and communicating. Her parents were overjoyed that she was recovering; her mom shared the great news with the family. “Praise God our BABY GIRL IS REALLY back!”
Sadly, a few hours later she sent out a new message informing everyone that Vanessa had reverted back to her previous condition. The doctors informed her parents that Vanessa has a long road to recovery. It is still unknown how much damage her illness has caused to her body and mind. She’s unable to eat or drink anything on her own, unable to speak clearly and in full sentences, and is unable to walk. She is still admitted to the hospital and they plan on keeping her there for a few weeks at the very least. She will also require extensive physical and speech therapy for weeks possibly months during her rehabilitation. She will have to relearn all of the simple tasks that we take for granted every day.
Currently, her parents’ main focus is staying by her side during her fight with this severe neurological illness. They continue to drive over 60 miles each way, every day, sometimes making several trips. Vanessa is the second oldest of four children, so her parents are trying to manage daily life while caring for her, and her three siblings. With this unfortunate situation traveling & other expenses are adding up. Her parents are unable to work to cover the cost of household & hospital bills. The family has been hit with a hardship.
We know the Holidays are here and times are tough, but we kindly ask for any donation to Vanessa’s family. No donation is too small or little to go unnoticed; for anything will help, and everything is appreciated. Thank you very much for taking the time to read this and May God Bless You and Your Family. We appreciate all the prayers, the amazing amount of love and support from everyone and your generosity!
Vanessa is a dedicated, hardworking, kind hearted and easy going 16 year old girl. I’ve watched Vanessa grow from an infant to a beautiful young lady. She’s a reserved, content, sweet girl who’s great to be around. She’s the kind of girl that doesn’t make her presence noticed but her absence is definitely felt. She has the personality that allows a person to be themselves, and not feel threatened or judged. It’s truly a beautiful gift that she’s able to give to others.
I last saw Vanessa on November 14th, her parents hosted our grandmother’s 80th birthday and Vanessa ran the kitchen effortlessly. I’ve never seen a harder working young lady. I remember acknowledging & complementing her hard work, and even joked about taking her home with me.
Four days after that party her parents, Hilary & Josh noticed a change in her behavior. They were unable to have a normal conversation with her. She had cognitive impairment, loss of appetite and her motor skills were reducing rapidly. Concerned for their daughter’s health they brought her to the local hospital emergency department. They performed a CT scan and blood work. Everything came back normal. The hospital diagnosis was dehydration and insomnia. Since nothing abnormal was found, they dismissed her & sent her home. As the week went by her behavior became more unusual. She was having involuntary movements, altered levels of consciousness, agitation, and poor Vanessa was unable to sleep and unaware of her surroundings. After a few days of watching their daughter suffer, they decided they’ve had enough, and drove her to a University hospital over 60 miles from their home for a second opinion.
The doctors knew right away that she had a very rare condition. The next day they ran more tests: an MRI, a full body scan, additional blood work, and a spinal tap. After review, most of the tests came back normal; finally something abnormal was found in the spinal fluid. The tests revealed that Vanessa was suffering from a brain infection. From there the doctors developed a treatment plan. After the first day of treatment Vanessa seemed to be back, she was coherent and communicating. Her parents were overjoyed that she was recovering; her mom shared the great news with the family. “Praise God our BABY GIRL IS REALLY back!”
Sadly, a few hours later she sent out a new message informing everyone that Vanessa had reverted back to her previous condition. The doctors informed her parents that Vanessa has a long road to recovery. It is still unknown how much damage her illness has caused to her body and mind. She’s unable to eat or drink anything on her own, unable to speak clearly and in full sentences, and is unable to walk. She is still admitted to the hospital and they plan on keeping her there for a few weeks at the very least. She will also require extensive physical and speech therapy for weeks possibly months during her rehabilitation. She will have to relearn all of the simple tasks that we take for granted every day. Currently, her parents’ main focus is staying by her side during her fight with this severe neurological illness. They continue to drive over 60 miles each way, every day, sometimes making several trips. Vanessa is the second oldest of four children, so her parents are trying to manage daily life while caring for her, and her three siblings. With this unfortunate situation traveling & other expenses are adding up. Her parents are unable to work to cover the cost of household & hospital bills. The family has been hit with a hardship.
We know the Holidays are here and times are tough, but we kindly ask for any donation to Vanessa’s family. No donation is too small or little to go unnoticed; for anything will help, and everything is appreciated. Thank you very much for taking the time to read this and May God Bless You and Your Family. We appreciate all the prayers, the amazing amount of love and support from everyone and your generosity!
Organizer and beneficiary
Brandy Porquez Quiambao
Organizer
Suisun, CA
Hilary Fontaine
Beneficiary