Let's keep the Love and Light going for Jenn!

Family and friends, we are offering a way for you to help support Jennifer as we walk with her on her journey in dealing with ongoing struggles related to her Autoimmune Diseases.

Jennifer has been managing multiple Autoimmune issues over the last several years. Jennifer was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis back in 2015 and had been controlling that with infusions every eight weeks. Things were stable with the Ulcerative Colitis until March of this year when a flare led to a series of Autoimmune issues.  In 2020 Jennifer was diagnosed with Autoimmune Hepatitis and Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis. This has been silent since it was presented initially; however, it is being closely monitored right now, as she is at high risk for a "flare" with this as the prednisone she is taking is tapering down.  In March of this year, Jennifer was hospitalized with Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia. This is a new diagnosis for Jennifer. Jennifer needed an emergency blood transfusion and nearly lost her life due to seriously low levels of hemoglobin. At the time of discharge from the hospital, we knew it would be a long road moving forward trying to stabilize the Hemolytic Anemia and managing the Ulcerative Colitis. This disease (Hemolytic Anemia) is characterized by the breakdown of red blood cells in her body. Essentially her blood is attacking itself. Jennifer is being treated by the Hematology, Hepatology and Gastarointology Departments at the University of Minnesota. This complex presentation of medical conditions requires medical teams to work closely together to ensure that medicines are not counter productive or problematic for each condition. Jennifer is also being seen at Mayo Clinic in Rochester to receive secondary care and consultation. Currently, the treatment for the Hemolytic Anemia, which has been completed (4 infusions of Rituximab weekly), has not shown to be as effective as desired. Jennifer has not been able to treat her Ulcerative Colitis with the infusions ash she had been. Essentially she is on no medication for the Ulcerative Colitis at this time. The need to stabilize the Hemolytic Anemia is precedent. The medication she received for Ulcerative Colitis does not necessarily cooperate with the blood infusion medication. She has been prescribed an alternative medicine for the Ulcerative Colitis, but the insurance company is not approving that. The cost for this medication alone is 2,500.00. As the steroids that have been prescribed taper down, Jennifer is at high risk for her immune system to react and flare again. Jennifer is also at high risk for infection or presentation of other concerns due to the fact that her system is so immunocompromised with the steroids and the immunosuppressing medicine she had for the Hemolytic Anemia. We had a scare with the presentation of a lesion on her right hip that thankfully has been ruled out as NOT to be cancerous.

As most of us know, Jennifer is a mom to 3 beautiful children, and manages her household as a single mother. Jennifer is currently not working, and is on disability at this time. As the course of treatment remains unknown at this time, depending on how things progress the likelihood that Jennifer will need to be off work ongoing at least for the foreseeable future is high. As Jennifer continues to undergo medical treatments our goal is to keep her life as normal as possible for her and her kiddos , Carter Liam and Eden. We all have already been so amazed at the outpouring of support and love so many have offered. It has given her the ability to continue to focus on her recovery. If you are able, please consider a donation to help support her and her children as this will provide Jennifer one less thing to worry about. 

Thank you in advance and we appreciate you keeping Jennifer and her children in your thoughts and prayers.