Help Save my Twin Sister from a Stage 3 Illness

Hi friends and family,

Yesterday, we learned that my kind-hearted, extroverted, vibrant twin sister has stage 3 Adrenal Insufficiency. Stage 4 leads to death. Chronic stress for 13 years from being married to a narcissist and abuser, not having a thyroid (it was mistakenly diagnosed with cancer and removed), and a stressful job (working 60 - 80 hours a week) has led to significant wear and tear on her body which spiraled her into chronic fatigue, chronic pain, insomnia, weight issues, brain fog, gut health issues, digestive issues, anxiety and depression, high or low blood pressure, and a whole host of other problems that is too long to list, which is a result from a broken stress response system and broken adrenals. 

As you all know, my sister is not lazy. And she is certainly not unhealthy. She is used to being strong, determined and working out hard 6 days a week and doing green juice cleanses every month. She is used to being fit. She is used to being self-sufficient and independent. She is used to pushing herself beyond her limits and using her mind over matter, so it kills her to know that she can’t be all these things anymore. There are days she can’t even walk more than a block, slowly, before her legs turn rigid and riddled with pain, and she has to wait on the curb until somebody picks her up. 

After a decade of mystery symptoms that over a dozen Florida in-network doctors couldn’t figure out the source, my mom recently found a doctor in Pennsylvania who focuses on adrenal dysfunction and can help her heal. But the healing journey will be long (one year) and expensive since he’s out of network. She is currently not able to work and is on short-term disability and is seeking long-term disability, but the money she will receive is not enough to pay for her treatment and all of her medical expenses for the year. 

This is where you come in. Join me in showing Steffie, my best friend and twin sister, that so much love and care is truly around her. She’s got a large circle of friends, church community, and family, who together, can make a difference to help this journey be a little less stressful financially for her and my family.

I’ll make sure to update you all on her progress over the next year. Thank you, in advance, for your support.

Sincerely,

Lizbeth, a worried sick twin sister