Hello! As many of you already know, I’m Carrie - Leah’s Mom. What you may not know is that Leah has been battling some very serious health issues that have resulted in her being out of work (on leave) for over 6 of the past 10 months. At the end of last year, at 25 years old, Leah’s body began to fail her seemingly overnight.

She began experiencing concerning symptoms toward the end of November of 2024. It was so hard watching her endure countless trips to the clinic and ER - and worse - not being taken seriously for weeks, before FINALLY receiving a referral and subsequent visits with Neurology (thank goodness). She's endured tests of all kinds, including a spinal tap that caused a CSF leak and led to seeing her in the most excruciating pain I had ever witnessed. It was such a scary time.

It wasn’t until March of 2025 that she was finally diagnosed with Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP), a rare neurological autoimmune condition causing damage to the motor nerves. In Leah’s case, this resulted in a myriad of symptoms - from numbness and tingling/extreme nerve pain paired with weakness in her extremities that resulted in extreme difficulty walking and other mobility issues, GI issues that led to a 50 lb weight loss in less than 6 weeks, and a laundry list of others. She had multiple rounds of treatment that made her more miserable each time, and severely weakened her immune system. She was referred to Mayo's neurology department in June, and I accompanied her there for more testing & consultations. I have talked her through more days that she is in pain than not, more exhausted than not, and helped her carry the weight of the visible stress of it all.

As if this weren't difficult enough, she's also been diagnosed with a form of dysautonomia called Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) that causes dizziness, fainting, racing heart, and decreased blood pressure. These symptoms have worsened dramatically in the past several months. The dysautonomia has unfortunately recently led to a flare up of a linked condition called Cyclical Vomiting Syndrome that has caused Leah to vomit almost daily for about a month. Her body is exhausted, and so is she.

The cost of all of this mentally has been and continues to be inexplicable. She has made leaps and bounds as far as improvement after with signs of significant nerve regeneration after the IV Immunoglobulin (IVIG) treatment, and exponentially improved mobility. She does still have residual nerve damage that may never fully heal, but her doctors both at Sanford and Mayo are very hopeful that she will heal completely (or very close to it) with time.

Unfortunately, the financial impact of all of this has been significant. She has had to take considerable unpaid time off, due to the impacts of her illnesses, and during the times she has had to go out on more extended leaves (first from 12/5/25-5/1/25, again from 7/8/25-7/16/25 and now from 8/20/25 - at least 9/15/25) at only 60% pay. The medical expenses, including treatments such as infusions, physical therapy, and all sorts of medication, travel to and from Rochester, countless visits with specialists and other medical professionals, and countless more have added an overwhelming amount of stress in an already extraordinarily overwhelming situation.

We are asking for your support, no matter how big or small, in helping Leah get back on her feet while she navigates life with these new (hopefully temporary) limitations, and continues to work toward being back at 100%. She is hoping to be back at work by the middle of September, but the unpredictable nature of her conditions make it hard to set guaranteed dates.

Please consider donating, if you're at all able. Getting caught up with bills would provide so much relief, and would be so greatly appreciated beyond words, by not only Leah, but also everyone who loves her, and has been by her side throughout this terrifying ordeal.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read Leah’s story!