Donation protected
- Hello everyone. This has been a very hard thing to bring myself to do. We are now at the point where it is necessary. I'm not good at asking for help, but I have needed it during this horrific time. Back in July, I thought I blew out my back from a bad case of the stomach flu. I wasn't able to walk or hardly move that first week. The pain was absolutely excruciating. It was 24/7 with no letting up. I knew something was wrong. I had my first of many ambulance rides to the hospital. The pain was something I can't describe (and I've had to c-sections and a badly broken foot). I was on the gurney in the e.r. begging for help to stop the pain and figure out what was happening. I was crying and moaning in pain loudly. All of my vitals and lab values showed what is consistent with septic shock. I had scans and other tests ran. The radiologist reviewed the scan and diagnosed it as a bulged disc with some sort of free fluid around the pelvic cavity. I was given 3 days worth of pain meds and sent home. It was nothing to them. So, long story short is this: After appointments with different doctors, none of which actually looked at any of my imaging themselves, the phyziatrist I was sent to set me up with epidural steroid injections...in a month from the time I saw him. Mind you all that I was sobbing and begging him to help me. I could barely walk with a walker at this point because of the pain. He gave me some steroids for 5 days and off he sent me in my misery for another month. During this time, I would have more ambulance rides to the hospital due to the unbelievable pain. I wasn't able to work, take care of my baby Penny, who was 10 months at the time this started, be there for my 16 year old daughter's games and other events, or really take care of myself. We also had to move out of our house and into my parent's house. I had to withdraw from the 3rd semester I was in in my nursing program at North Idaho College. Fast forward and after the injections, I fell extremely ill and the pain was making me think I couldn't even survive it anymore. I knew something was wrong. Very wrong. The Dr who gave the injections would not listen and said the pain was normal. I knew that this was not normal. I barely made it to the e.r. the morning of Oct 2. I had gone into septic shock. The doctor and nurse I had were God sent angels. I was finally heard. They knew something was wrong. After many more scans, it was clear that I had a very extensive bone, joint, and soft tissue infection. I also had a large access along my spine just outside of the protective covering the spinal column is in. Because of being misdiagnosed, this gave a small infection a chance to take over my body for 2.5 months. I was immediately sent to a different hospital and taken into surgery that next morning. To say I'm lucky it was found when it was is an understatement. This infection would have spread everywhere, including my heart and I would have had a big chance of not surviving it. After a long hospital stay with multiple blood transfusions as well, I was sent home. I had nurses and therapists come to my home up until a week and a half ago. I had a PICC line to give IV antibiotics every 8 hours around the clock for 6 weeks. I have recently had the line taken out. Recovery has been a very long and painful road. The worst part though: not being able to be the active and present mom I have always been to my girls. I am now still working on recovering and walking.
Throughout this whole medical mishap, I have had to ask for help multiple times because of the state my body had gotten to. Being unable to work has been terrible and being that I'm a single mom, the one income hasn't been able to come in. I am asking for help to give my girls a nice Christmas. I am also asking help for some bills that need to be paid in order to keep my car, cell phones on, and storage unit. This has been a very humbling experience and I want to thank each and every one of you. Even if you are unable to help, I'm asking everyone to share this please. I want our road of devastation to end and my little family to get back on our feet. Merry Christmas everybody
Organizer
Laura Stewart
Organizer
Mead, WA