Please Support Jenn Farr's (Stephens) Recovery
Donation protected
On March 6th 2020, my mother Jenn Farr (Stephens) started to feel ill and was experiencing some weakness. The next day she was feeling numbness and tingling in her hands/feet. On March 8th, she fell down the last couple steps in her home and my step dad, Dave Farr brought her to the Vanderhoof ER. She was sent home and I was called to come help because she couldn't walk very well. As I was driving her home, she started to get slurred speech. We arrived at her home and Dave and I helped her inside which was very difficult. We realized pretty quickly that she was getting worse and worse as time went on, she couldn't walk on her own, her speech was getting worse and she couldn't eat properly, then we could barely help her walk, so we called an ambulance. They made the decision to bring her to Prince George hospital. Upon arrival she couldn't walk at all. At first they thought that maybe she had a stroke, however it was pretty puzzling because it was both sides. She was admitted that same night.
They did multiple tests and on March 10th she was diagnosed with GBS (Guillain-Barré Syndrome). GBS is a rare autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks part of its peripheral nervous system—the network of nerves located outside of the brain and spinal cord. GBS can range from a very mild case with brief weakness to nearly devastating paralysis, leaving the person unable to breathe independently. Fortunately, most people eventually recover from even the most severe cases of GBS. After recovery, some people will continue to have some degree of weakness.
They started her on IVIG treatment.
Jenn declined very rapidly, she couldn't move her legs, she wasn't able to feed herself, she couldn't swallow, her speech got worse, her arms and hands stopped moving, she lost almost all mobility and on March 13th she was moved to the ICU, where she was intubated. This was her worst night.
March 14th, they put in a tracheal intubation. At this point she had stabilized. We started to notice little improvements. By March 17th the hospital started to go on lock down with only one visitor allowed due to covid-19, we decided to allow no visitors and after a few days the hospital was on full lock down.
By March 26th she was able to text a little bit. By the start of April she was moved out of the ICU. By the end of April she was moved into the rehabilitation unit. She has regained use of her arms and hands and her speech, she is able to fully eat solid foods. She gets physio therapy monday-friday.
On May 21st, we had a family teleconference with her support team/doctor, the doctor explained that she has the more chronic version of GBS, meaning recovery will be very slow. He said it could take her 1-2 years to fully recover. She's been in a lot of pain. She was highly medicated which was causing her a lot of confusion, but they have started to decrease some of the meds. I've personally noticed a huge improvement with her memory and confusion. They also noticed that her legs were starting to decline a bit. In some GBS patients they can relapse. So today on May 27th, they have started another round of IVIG treatment.
Jenn is a soon to be 56 year old RN and has always been a rock for her family, she's the person everyone calls for medical advice, she's the one that is always sitting at everyone's bedside while they are in the hospital. She has such a big heart, she's a loving grandmother, mother, wife, sister, aunty, niece, cousin, daughter and friend.
She has a long road ahead of her, and really needs the support of family and friends. Any donation that you can give would be greatly appreciated. If you’re unable to donate, we would appreciate you sharing her story. All donations will go towards helping Jenn through her recovery; any needs to help make her stay at the hospital as comfortable and positive as possible, travel expenses, possible adjustments to the house needed to accommodate recovery, and any other medical expenses.
Thank you.
I will give updates when I can.
**Since my mother is still having trouble with her coordination and is unable to use her laptop/phone very well. I will be allocating the funds for her by her request.**
They did multiple tests and on March 10th she was diagnosed with GBS (Guillain-Barré Syndrome). GBS is a rare autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks part of its peripheral nervous system—the network of nerves located outside of the brain and spinal cord. GBS can range from a very mild case with brief weakness to nearly devastating paralysis, leaving the person unable to breathe independently. Fortunately, most people eventually recover from even the most severe cases of GBS. After recovery, some people will continue to have some degree of weakness.
They started her on IVIG treatment.
Jenn declined very rapidly, she couldn't move her legs, she wasn't able to feed herself, she couldn't swallow, her speech got worse, her arms and hands stopped moving, she lost almost all mobility and on March 13th she was moved to the ICU, where she was intubated. This was her worst night.
March 14th, they put in a tracheal intubation. At this point she had stabilized. We started to notice little improvements. By March 17th the hospital started to go on lock down with only one visitor allowed due to covid-19, we decided to allow no visitors and after a few days the hospital was on full lock down.
By March 26th she was able to text a little bit. By the start of April she was moved out of the ICU. By the end of April she was moved into the rehabilitation unit. She has regained use of her arms and hands and her speech, she is able to fully eat solid foods. She gets physio therapy monday-friday.
On May 21st, we had a family teleconference with her support team/doctor, the doctor explained that she has the more chronic version of GBS, meaning recovery will be very slow. He said it could take her 1-2 years to fully recover. She's been in a lot of pain. She was highly medicated which was causing her a lot of confusion, but they have started to decrease some of the meds. I've personally noticed a huge improvement with her memory and confusion. They also noticed that her legs were starting to decline a bit. In some GBS patients they can relapse. So today on May 27th, they have started another round of IVIG treatment.
Jenn is a soon to be 56 year old RN and has always been a rock for her family, she's the person everyone calls for medical advice, she's the one that is always sitting at everyone's bedside while they are in the hospital. She has such a big heart, she's a loving grandmother, mother, wife, sister, aunty, niece, cousin, daughter and friend.
She has a long road ahead of her, and really needs the support of family and friends. Any donation that you can give would be greatly appreciated. If you’re unable to donate, we would appreciate you sharing her story. All donations will go towards helping Jenn through her recovery; any needs to help make her stay at the hospital as comfortable and positive as possible, travel expenses, possible adjustments to the house needed to accommodate recovery, and any other medical expenses.
Thank you.
I will give updates when I can.
**Since my mother is still having trouble with her coordination and is unable to use her laptop/phone very well. I will be allocating the funds for her by her request.**
Organiser
Kenya Stephens
Organiser
Vanderhoof, BC
