Support & Hope for Anny: Critical Therapy Needed

Dear Community,

I’m creating this page for a dear friend, Paola, who needs financial help for her niece in Colombia. Below is her niece's story in English & Spanish. Life sometimes happens and sometimes it’s very hard. If this story resonates and you can give, please do ❤️

(English & Spanish)

Anny Johanna Tabares Ortiz

34 years old

She currently has a 15-year-old daughter. Seven years ago, she suffered an ischemic stroke, which caused a 10% loss of vision, frequent seizures, and memory lapses, making it impossible for her to be employed by a company. To make ends meet, she began selling food. Despite her health condition, she joined as a volunteer firefighter, where she was paid for some shifts, though it was nothing formal.

On July 25, 2024, she had another ischemic stroke, caused by antiphospholipid syndrome, which led to blockage in her brain arteries. This resulted in a 36-day coma. Part of her skull had to be removed due to extreme brain swelling. She was in the ICU fighting for her life, and doctors performed a tracheostomy because she couldn’t breathe on her own. The doctors told her family she might never speak, walk, or see again, among many other potential outcomes.

Fifteen days after being discharged from the hospital, she suffered another episode. Her family was told all of this is a result of a flare-up of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) that is attacking her brain.

It’s now been 10 months since this event, and her family is grateful that she has made progress from the limited therapies she has received — physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy. However, since her family must travel from one town to another for her sessions, it has caused significant financial strain, along with her need of a special diet.

On June 9, she is scheduled for surgery to reattach the bone in her skull. Although this surgery is not considered high risk, due to her blood clotting issues, she must stay in the clinic for 15 days before and after the procedure for continuous testing. After the surgery, she will need to continue the critical therapies mentioned above and cannot afford this on her own.

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From Paola:

Anny Johanna Tabares Ortiz

34 años

Actualmente tiene una hija de 15 años. Hace 7 años sufrió un accidente cerebrovascular isquémico, que le ocasionó la pérdida del 10% de la visión, convulsiones frecuentes, olvidos, lo que no le permite vincularse laboralmente en una empresa. Para poder rebuscar el sustento diario, empezó a vender comidas. Ingresó como bombero voluntaria a pesar de su situación de salud, donde le pagaban por hacer algunos turnos, nada formal.

Hasta el año 2024, el 25 de julio, presentó otro accidente cerebrovascular isquémico, síndrome fosfolipídico, que ocasionó la obstrucción de arterias cerebrales. Esto la llevó a un coma por 36 días. Tuvieron que extraerle parte del cráneo, ya que el cerebro se inflamó exageradamente. Estuvo en la UCI luchando contra la muerte. Le realizaron traqueostomía porque no podía respirar por sí misma. Los médicos nos informaron que posiblemente no volvería a hablar, caminar, ver, entre muchos otros diagnósticos.

Cuando salió de la clínica, a los 15 días le repitió nuevamente otro episodio, el cual nos dicen que todo esto es producto de un brote de lupus eritematoso sistémico (LES) que está atacando el cerebro.

Hoy han pasado 10 meses de este suceso, donde agradecemos que ha evolucionado con las pocas terapias que se le están realizando, que son terapia física, ocupacional y fonoaudiología. Ya que debemos desplazarnos de un municipio a otro para que pueda hacerlas, nos está generando bastantes gastos, al igual que la dieta que debemos realizarle.

El 9 de junio le realizarán una intervención quirúrgica que consiste en ponerle nuevamente el hueso del cráneo. Una cirugía que, aunque no genera un alto riesgo, al ella tener problemas de coagulación debe estar 15 días antes y después de la cirugía en la clínica, para constantes exámenes. Posteriormente a esto, continuará con las terapias anteriormente nombradas.

❤️