Please Help Save Mandi's Life
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Please help us save my wife's life.
This week, Mandi has attempted to commit suicide two times, as a result of the severe, uncontrolled pain she experiences due to a rare, incurable medical condition.
5 years ago, my wife Mandi was diagnosed with a genetic disorder that forever changed her life. A disease that she and I dreaded would ever become a possibility.
Prior to this, Mandi was a woman that tackled all obstacles and was unstoppable in her convictions. She was a superhuman mother and wife. And then, she was diagnosed with a disease for which there is no cure. Although Mandi may appear healthy on the outside, she is in fact disabled by an excruciatingly painful ‘invisible illness’ called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (also known as EDS).
EDS is a rare, genetic disease that prevents the body from producing connective tissue that is strong enough to do it’s job, which is to act as an internal ‘glue’ to keep the body ‘together’. Connective tissue is found in 80% of the body, and therefore causes a very wide array of symptoms that affect many areas and systems within Mandi’s body.
As a consequence of her EDS, Mandi’s suffers from:
- Constant, excruciating pain of all types (including joint, bone, nerve and muscle pain) which is frequently so severe that it cannot be controlled even by the strongest pain medications available. The pain often leaves Mandi bed bound for days at a time;
- Dislocations of many joints throughout her body which are triggered constantly throughout the day by even the most simple movement.
- Instability and slipped discs throughout her spine which impinge on nerves, causing severe neuropathic pain.
- Worsening mobility issues that make it difficult for Mandi to walk even short distances, and leave her increasingly reliant upon mobility aids such as wheelchairs and scooters;
- ‘Autonomic dysfunction’ which prevents Mandi’s body from controlling vital functions such as body temperature, blood pressure and heart rate, which can trigger unpleasant palpitations, dizziness and fainting spells.
- Chronic gastro-intestinal dysfunction, pain, and vomiting episodes;
- Fragile blood vessels which rupture easily;
- Hernias requiring surgical repair with painful, lengthy recoveries;
- Depression and suicidal thoughts, as a result of the above.
This is not ideal for any wife and mother who desperately wants and needs to be healthy, mobile and most importantly, alive, for her children. And as most can imagine, these drastic changes in her life, along with the constant pain, causes Mandi to suffer greatly from depression and in turn, has caused her to try to end her life several times.
Due to these circumstances, Mandi has suffered greatly. As most know, depression is an evil and unpredictable monster. The type of depression that Mandi suffers from is mainly caused by the severe and constant pain that she endures. Her pain exasterbates the depression and her depression exasterbates the pain. In the last 5 years, Mandi has attempted suicide 5 times and has thankfully been unsuccessful. We are now at the point in Mandi's life where her current treatments for EDS and depression are no longer working. But there is hope as we have found a treatment that has a tremendous success rate treating depression and pain.
We discovered a hugely successful treatment using Ketamine infusions that is increasingly being used to combat depression and pain. The infusions are unfortunately $350 per treatment and require anywhere from 5-10 sessions to be successful. In our current financial status, we are unable to afford all the treatments. Our biggest fear is that while Mandi is living in this constant pain, she may well be successful in her next suicide attempt - we are running out of time.
In addition, Mandi is also in great need of assistance with her mobility. As it stands, she can not keep up with life which forces her into isolation, and in turn, worsens her depression. For assistance with this we are hoping to purchase a scooter and gate lift for the rear of the vehicle, for the days when Mandi needs the assistance to be mobile and keep up with the everday task of being a mother to our children and the need to be a somewhat "normal" 38 year old woman.
I know times are hard for us all and it pains me to ask for assistance from others, but Mandi is in dire need. Please help us give her hope and the ability to continue life not only for herself but for her children. If we do not manage to get her pain and depression under control, we face the real possibility that we may lose her forever.
This week, Mandi has attempted to commit suicide two times, as a result of the severe, uncontrolled pain she experiences due to a rare, incurable medical condition.
5 years ago, my wife Mandi was diagnosed with a genetic disorder that forever changed her life. A disease that she and I dreaded would ever become a possibility.
Prior to this, Mandi was a woman that tackled all obstacles and was unstoppable in her convictions. She was a superhuman mother and wife. And then, she was diagnosed with a disease for which there is no cure. Although Mandi may appear healthy on the outside, she is in fact disabled by an excruciatingly painful ‘invisible illness’ called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (also known as EDS).
EDS is a rare, genetic disease that prevents the body from producing connective tissue that is strong enough to do it’s job, which is to act as an internal ‘glue’ to keep the body ‘together’. Connective tissue is found in 80% of the body, and therefore causes a very wide array of symptoms that affect many areas and systems within Mandi’s body.
As a consequence of her EDS, Mandi’s suffers from:
- Constant, excruciating pain of all types (including joint, bone, nerve and muscle pain) which is frequently so severe that it cannot be controlled even by the strongest pain medications available. The pain often leaves Mandi bed bound for days at a time;
- Dislocations of many joints throughout her body which are triggered constantly throughout the day by even the most simple movement.
- Instability and slipped discs throughout her spine which impinge on nerves, causing severe neuropathic pain.
- Worsening mobility issues that make it difficult for Mandi to walk even short distances, and leave her increasingly reliant upon mobility aids such as wheelchairs and scooters;
- ‘Autonomic dysfunction’ which prevents Mandi’s body from controlling vital functions such as body temperature, blood pressure and heart rate, which can trigger unpleasant palpitations, dizziness and fainting spells.
- Chronic gastro-intestinal dysfunction, pain, and vomiting episodes;
- Fragile blood vessels which rupture easily;
- Hernias requiring surgical repair with painful, lengthy recoveries;
- Depression and suicidal thoughts, as a result of the above.
This is not ideal for any wife and mother who desperately wants and needs to be healthy, mobile and most importantly, alive, for her children. And as most can imagine, these drastic changes in her life, along with the constant pain, causes Mandi to suffer greatly from depression and in turn, has caused her to try to end her life several times.
Due to these circumstances, Mandi has suffered greatly. As most know, depression is an evil and unpredictable monster. The type of depression that Mandi suffers from is mainly caused by the severe and constant pain that she endures. Her pain exasterbates the depression and her depression exasterbates the pain. In the last 5 years, Mandi has attempted suicide 5 times and has thankfully been unsuccessful. We are now at the point in Mandi's life where her current treatments for EDS and depression are no longer working. But there is hope as we have found a treatment that has a tremendous success rate treating depression and pain.
We discovered a hugely successful treatment using Ketamine infusions that is increasingly being used to combat depression and pain. The infusions are unfortunately $350 per treatment and require anywhere from 5-10 sessions to be successful. In our current financial status, we are unable to afford all the treatments. Our biggest fear is that while Mandi is living in this constant pain, she may well be successful in her next suicide attempt - we are running out of time.
In addition, Mandi is also in great need of assistance with her mobility. As it stands, she can not keep up with life which forces her into isolation, and in turn, worsens her depression. For assistance with this we are hoping to purchase a scooter and gate lift for the rear of the vehicle, for the days when Mandi needs the assistance to be mobile and keep up with the everday task of being a mother to our children and the need to be a somewhat "normal" 38 year old woman.
I know times are hard for us all and it pains me to ask for assistance from others, but Mandi is in dire need. Please help us give her hope and the ability to continue life not only for herself but for her children. If we do not manage to get her pain and depression under control, we face the real possibility that we may lose her forever.
Organizer
Jody Spivey
Organizer
Buford, GA