As most friends and families know… even if you don’t know! Let me introduce you to Prudence Olivia. She recently celebrated her 7th birthday. When she was celebrating her 2nd birthday, she was diagnosed with childhood absence seizures. As a mom, this was devastating; however, I was extremely hopeful because almost every single child responds to medication and eventually they grow out of it.

Fast forward 2 years later, as she is celebrating her 4th birthday… after many, many medication changes, EEGs, ambulance rides, and hospital stays with no changes in the absence seizures… she starts having myoclonic atonic seizures on top of the absence seizures. These are also known as drop attacks or muscle jerking seizures.

Fast forward to June of 2024. We moved to Kansas for a second opinion with a different neurologist. She received the official diagnosis of Doose syndrome, and she is medication-resistant. We are on our last hopes of seeing her do better with the last couple of options of medication combinations we have left. We are now scheduled for a 24-hour EEG this Friday, a 1-week hospitalization to start her on the ketogenic diet, and then the vagus nerve stimulator surgery shortly after that.

I have been able to hold a job for the most part until last month when I was let go. This has been extra devastating for our household. We are behind on rent, utilities, and have no working vehicle due to not being able to pay for insurance, etc. I am still applying daily to jobs, applying for assistance like LIHEAP, appealing her disability, etc. We are in desperate need of financial support to catch up and be able to breathe while we go through these next few steps for her epilepsy.

funds will go to rent $750/month, catch up on electricity bill of $818 (2 months behind) what ever is extra towards future rent and utilities.

*update 02/11/25 we are so so so grateful to everyone sharing and donating! I can’t believe we have $175 already. As we prepare for another 24 hour EEG this coming Friday I ask for PRAYERS that this winter weather stays safe for us as we travel! Prudence got her a “big girl” haircut in preparation for all the EEG “goopey yuck!” Is what she calls it