Let’s help our Crohn’s fighter

As most of you already know, our sweet Melissa has been suffering from Crohn’s Disease since she was 22 years old . If you’re not familiar, Crohn’s is an incurable inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes chronic ulceration and inflammation of the GI tract. Symptoms include severe abdominal pain and cramping, serious fatigue, loss of appetite (due to pain), malnutrition, intestinal ulcers, diarrhea, anemia, fever, brain fog (the list goes on).

Melissa’s symptoms, like most Crohn’s patients, have been managed so far with a cocktail of strong immunosuppressive medications, biologic drugs, and anti-inflammatory corticosteroids. Melissa found success with one of these drugs, Remicade, for many years. In August 2020, the Remicade began to fail and Melissa fell into the most severe flare up of her life. With the onset of this flare, Melissa was essentially stripped of her ability to participate in life as she knew it. In the years that followed, she landed several times at the hospital in severe pain.

Over the past three years Melissa has tried every known medication for Crohn’s disease in the hopes that she would be able to feel well enough. She has worked hard at maintaining a positive attitude and has tried to be a source of encouragement for many throughout this difficult battle.

Recently Melissa underwent a major surgery that required hospitalization and part of her intestines had to be cut. Consequently she has been given an ileostomy bag which we hope it is temporary. This has truly been a life altering experience. Any donation given will be utilized for any costs incurred during this recovery period. Please continue to keep her in your thoughts and prayers.