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BARB'S BATTLE .
PLEASE help our super star friend Barb.
We thought the best place to start would be to introduce you to Barb.
A beautiful soul we have known for many years.
Barb is a motivated person who has always worked hard.
She is a Mum to 3 adorable kids.
She has an amazing partner Adrian.
Barb has worked as a nurse in aged care, disability care, also in drug rehab and testing.
In 2019 her dream job came true, securing a position as a retained Firefighter with Fire + Rescue.
Her 2nd dream job followed not long after as she got a full time position in the rail industry as a rolling stock maintainer.
Everything was finally going great until November 2020 when she became extremely ill with pain, vomiting unable to eat.
She had a growth in her bowel and had to have biopsies done.
She had to wait until her bowel was not so inflamed.
She carried on being in pain and being sick.
Biopsies were finally done on the 22/02/21.
On the 28/02/21 Barb was admitted into hospital again incredibly ill and in severe pain.
It was discovered that she had a bowel obstruction.
Barb spent 5 days in acute care receiving treatment as she was too ill to undergo the surgery required.
The surgery ended up resulting in the loss of over 60 cms of bowel and an Ileostomy bag being put in place to help her bowel heal.
After surgery Barb had complications in her recovery with her extremely low blood pressure and heart rate then unfortunately her bowel prolapsed meaning that about 7 cms of her bowel is outside her body and only protected by her Ileostomy bag.
Results confirmed she had severe damage to her intestines and Crohn’s disease was diagnosed also.
If you don't know what Crohn's disease is, it is an inflammatory bowel disease that does not have a cure.
With Crohn's disease comes other things including fistulas and abscesses where the need to get further and future treatment to remove them, lifelong medications to treat the disease.
Around 6 weeks after surgery in April Barb was back in the Hospital with severe pain, weakness, swelling of arms and joints.
She had to go back in for surgery to explore what they thought was a further obstruction, however what they found was something more sinister. She has developed PVT, portal vein thrombosis, blood clots. This resulted in the blood and oxygen flow into her liver being restricted. As a result 15% of her liver is damaged.
Whilst undergoing this procedure she also experienced pneumothorax. Being already anemic and iron deficient having PVT, has set her back regarding any chance of reversal. It has brought a whole new challenge to what treatment she needs and the threat of what PVT can and is already doing her body.
Unfortunately Barb can no longer perform the required duties to either of her role's at her 2 jobs.
She has exhausted all paid leave and benefits from both employers.
We are asking you all for help!
We have put the GoFundMe in Barb's Name.
Please donate if you can.
Every $1 will help with all the bills and medical cost's involved.
Thanks for taking the time to read Barb's Battle.
Tracey Schofield
Sarah Holden
PLEASE help our super star friend Barb.
We thought the best place to start would be to introduce you to Barb.
A beautiful soul we have known for many years.
Barb is a motivated person who has always worked hard.
She is a Mum to 3 adorable kids.
She has an amazing partner Adrian.
Barb has worked as a nurse in aged care, disability care, also in drug rehab and testing.
In 2019 her dream job came true, securing a position as a retained Firefighter with Fire + Rescue.
Her 2nd dream job followed not long after as she got a full time position in the rail industry as a rolling stock maintainer.
Everything was finally going great until November 2020 when she became extremely ill with pain, vomiting unable to eat.
She had a growth in her bowel and had to have biopsies done.
She had to wait until her bowel was not so inflamed.
She carried on being in pain and being sick.
Biopsies were finally done on the 22/02/21.
On the 28/02/21 Barb was admitted into hospital again incredibly ill and in severe pain.
It was discovered that she had a bowel obstruction.
Barb spent 5 days in acute care receiving treatment as she was too ill to undergo the surgery required.
The surgery ended up resulting in the loss of over 60 cms of bowel and an Ileostomy bag being put in place to help her bowel heal.
After surgery Barb had complications in her recovery with her extremely low blood pressure and heart rate then unfortunately her bowel prolapsed meaning that about 7 cms of her bowel is outside her body and only protected by her Ileostomy bag.
Results confirmed she had severe damage to her intestines and Crohn’s disease was diagnosed also.
If you don't know what Crohn's disease is, it is an inflammatory bowel disease that does not have a cure.
With Crohn's disease comes other things including fistulas and abscesses where the need to get further and future treatment to remove them, lifelong medications to treat the disease.
Around 6 weeks after surgery in April Barb was back in the Hospital with severe pain, weakness, swelling of arms and joints.
She had to go back in for surgery to explore what they thought was a further obstruction, however what they found was something more sinister. She has developed PVT, portal vein thrombosis, blood clots. This resulted in the blood and oxygen flow into her liver being restricted. As a result 15% of her liver is damaged.
Whilst undergoing this procedure she also experienced pneumothorax. Being already anemic and iron deficient having PVT, has set her back regarding any chance of reversal. It has brought a whole new challenge to what treatment she needs and the threat of what PVT can and is already doing her body.
Unfortunately Barb can no longer perform the required duties to either of her role's at her 2 jobs.
She has exhausted all paid leave and benefits from both employers.
We are asking you all for help!
We have put the GoFundMe in Barb's Name.
Please donate if you can.
Every $1 will help with all the bills and medical cost's involved.
Thanks for taking the time to read Barb's Battle.
Tracey Schofield
Sarah Holden