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#Pray4Gabbi

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To know Gabbi is to love Gabbi! Gabbi is one of the most caring, giving, loving and warm hearted young ladies that you will ever meet. Gabbi loves her family and her little sisters (Destinee and Kendra) adore her. In December of 2014 she achieved her dream of becoming a Registered Nurse, and on February 23, 2015 she began working at Florida Hospital (FH) South, in the Neuro ICU unit. Gabbi loves her job and enjoys working with her FH team immensely. Everything was working in her favor as she started on this new life journey until Friday May 1, 2015.

Gabbi hadn't been feeling well the week of May 1, and she finally gave in and went to see her doctor. She’d had a fever, aching legs, and blood shot eyes, but she thought this would be a normal trip to the doctor like many times before. After examining her and doing blood work her doctor advised her to get to the ER immediately for evaluation and possible admission. Her liver enzymes were extremely high (almost 1000). She thought that Gabbi possibly contracted viral hepatitis.

Gabbi was admitted to the hospital with a fever over 102 degrees, which suggested that her bodywas fighting some type of infection, but the physicians didn’t know what it was. After completing a myriad of tests and a skin biopsy of (what appeared to be a rash initially), now darkblisters forming on her skin. At that time, the physicians thought she could possibly have Steven Johnson Syndrome (SJS). During this time her fever continued to rise, her face was red and swollen, her eyes were painful to open and still blood shot. Her back was covered with dark purple spots, and her legs were too painful to be touched. By Sunday afternoon, after all of the test results were negative, the infectious disease doctor confirmed that this otherwise healthy 25 year old had contracted SJS, and informed us that she’d have to be transferred to Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC) to the burn unit for further treatment.

On Monday, May 4th, Gabbi was transferred to ORMC’s Trauma ICU burn unit. At this point, over 30 percent of Gabbi’s skin was covered with dark painful lesions that were forming blisters and peeling in certain areas, very similar to patients with severe burns. The physicians informed us that she had an even more rare form of SJS called “TENS” or Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis, which meant that her body was literally burning from the inside out.

Since her admission to ORMC Gabbi’s condition has continually declined and she is “fighting for her life”. At this point the disease is covering 60-70 percent of her body. We know that Gabbi has many friends and family that would like to know what's going on and want to visit her. However, the one thing I promised her when the illness began and as her physical appearance was deteriorating that I would limit visitors to immediate family only. Her exact words were, “I don't want people to see me like this, because I look terrible; and I will honor her wish until she is able to tell me differently.

We will use this site to post daily updates so everyone will know what's going on and what to pray for. Gabbi is in for a long journey but she is not alone in this fight! Additionally, since Gabbi was in her first 90 days of employment with FH, she currently is on “unpaid leave” and her medical bills are ranging from $30,000-$50,000 per day. Her mother’s insurance will cover most of these expenses, but if you’d like to donate funds to assist with any expenses related to her care, you can do so utilizing this site. All donations are greatly appreciated and 100 percent of the funds raised will be used for Gabbi’s recovery which is expected to be 2-3 months in the hospital. We love each and every one of you who have called texted, left FB messages, etc. to express your love and support for Gabbi and her family. #Pray4Gabbbi.
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Donations 

  • Maya Prewitt
    • $5
    • 9 yrs
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Organizer

Andrea Denise
Organizer
Altamonte Springs, FL

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