Holley's Medical Fund
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This page has been started to help my close friend Holley Hartley. Holley is a young wife and mother who was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) after receiving a flu vaccination. Here is Holley’s story...
First, a little about Holley. Holley is a 31-year-old Texas native who grew up in Melissa and graduated from Texas A&M University. Holley and I met during graduate school at the same time I met her husband, Scott, who was also in the graduate program at Texas A&M. Since graduation, we’ve remained close; sharing experiences such as marriages and more recently, having children. Holley and Scott have a 2-year old (Brady) and a 5-month old (Levi). As you read more about Holley’s condition, it’s important to note how devastating this has been for her family seeing that she has two little boys that rely greatly on her well-being.
On November 1st, 2016, Holley received a flu vaccination. Five days later, her toes started tingling and her hands became numb. Holley knew something was wrong and went to the hospital. She was admitted and diagnosed with Guillian-Barre' Syndrome (GBS). GBS is an autoimmune syndrome that attacks the peripheral nervous system. Soon after the diagnosis, she started IVIG treatments, but Holley did not respond to the eight treatments and her condition quickly progressed. Over a period of five days she lost movement in most of her body including legs, arms, breathing muscles, and face. A week after being admitted to the hospital, Holley was sedated, had a tracheotomy, and was put on a ventilator. Two weeks after receiving a flu shot this mother of two went from taking her kids Trick-or-Treating on Halloween to being paralyzed and fighting for her life.
Then a day after Thanksgiving, Holley’s lung muscles weakened and she had acute respiratory failure. Holley’s heartrate and blood pressure increased, her pH was acidic, and her carbon dioxide levels were extremely high. Because of the quickness and severity of the failure, Holley had to be moved to a different hospital that could offer her advanced treatment options. The doctors determined an ECMO (Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) unit was needed which is considered total life support. Our prayers were answered by Dr. Schwartz, numerous nurses/staff and angels when Holley came off the ECMO a few days later. Since the ECMO, her respiratory recovery has been gradual and she was moved from ICU to a long term acute care facility. Although Holley is on her long road to recovery, she continues to battle limited movement in her hands and legs, nerve pain, infections, increased heartrate, muscle spasms, difficulty breathing, and elevated carbon dioxide levels.
The doctors will not release Holley to a rehab facility until she is completely off ventilator assistance. At the beginning of January the doctors are starting to wean Holley off the ventilator. If everything works out, Holley could have the trach removed in two weeks and be one step closer to rehab and regaining mobility in her legs and arms.
Up until Christmas Day, Holley had not been able to see her little boys since she was first admitted to the hospital early November. As someone with two little children roughly the same ages as Holley’s, I cannot fathom not seeing my babies for almost two months. Throughout this entire journey, Scott has been managing the day-to-day caretaking and logistics of their children. The last couple of months have been an emotional rollercoaster for Holley and her family but fortunately, Holley is headed in the right direction for recovery.
Holley will have months of therapy to regain her walking ability and other day-to-day tasks.
I have started this GoFundMe page because I know Holley and Scott’s medical bills and related costs are piling up. After all they have been through, and are still going through, I am saddened by the thought of them having to worry about the financial burden as a result of this medical devastation. So I ask you, please help my friends. Every little bit helps towards Holley’s fight. And above all else, please keep praying for Holley and her family.
Thank you in advance,
Sheena Myles
First, a little about Holley. Holley is a 31-year-old Texas native who grew up in Melissa and graduated from Texas A&M University. Holley and I met during graduate school at the same time I met her husband, Scott, who was also in the graduate program at Texas A&M. Since graduation, we’ve remained close; sharing experiences such as marriages and more recently, having children. Holley and Scott have a 2-year old (Brady) and a 5-month old (Levi). As you read more about Holley’s condition, it’s important to note how devastating this has been for her family seeing that she has two little boys that rely greatly on her well-being.
On November 1st, 2016, Holley received a flu vaccination. Five days later, her toes started tingling and her hands became numb. Holley knew something was wrong and went to the hospital. She was admitted and diagnosed with Guillian-Barre' Syndrome (GBS). GBS is an autoimmune syndrome that attacks the peripheral nervous system. Soon after the diagnosis, she started IVIG treatments, but Holley did not respond to the eight treatments and her condition quickly progressed. Over a period of five days she lost movement in most of her body including legs, arms, breathing muscles, and face. A week after being admitted to the hospital, Holley was sedated, had a tracheotomy, and was put on a ventilator. Two weeks after receiving a flu shot this mother of two went from taking her kids Trick-or-Treating on Halloween to being paralyzed and fighting for her life.
Then a day after Thanksgiving, Holley’s lung muscles weakened and she had acute respiratory failure. Holley’s heartrate and blood pressure increased, her pH was acidic, and her carbon dioxide levels were extremely high. Because of the quickness and severity of the failure, Holley had to be moved to a different hospital that could offer her advanced treatment options. The doctors determined an ECMO (Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) unit was needed which is considered total life support. Our prayers were answered by Dr. Schwartz, numerous nurses/staff and angels when Holley came off the ECMO a few days later. Since the ECMO, her respiratory recovery has been gradual and she was moved from ICU to a long term acute care facility. Although Holley is on her long road to recovery, she continues to battle limited movement in her hands and legs, nerve pain, infections, increased heartrate, muscle spasms, difficulty breathing, and elevated carbon dioxide levels.
The doctors will not release Holley to a rehab facility until she is completely off ventilator assistance. At the beginning of January the doctors are starting to wean Holley off the ventilator. If everything works out, Holley could have the trach removed in two weeks and be one step closer to rehab and regaining mobility in her legs and arms.
Up until Christmas Day, Holley had not been able to see her little boys since she was first admitted to the hospital early November. As someone with two little children roughly the same ages as Holley’s, I cannot fathom not seeing my babies for almost two months. Throughout this entire journey, Scott has been managing the day-to-day caretaking and logistics of their children. The last couple of months have been an emotional rollercoaster for Holley and her family but fortunately, Holley is headed in the right direction for recovery.
Holley will have months of therapy to regain her walking ability and other day-to-day tasks.
I have started this GoFundMe page because I know Holley and Scott’s medical bills and related costs are piling up. After all they have been through, and are still going through, I am saddened by the thought of them having to worry about the financial burden as a result of this medical devastation. So I ask you, please help my friends. Every little bit helps towards Holley’s fight. And above all else, please keep praying for Holley and her family.
Thank you in advance,
Sheena Myles
Organizer and beneficiary
Sheena Norton Myles
Organizer
Prosper, TX
Holley Hartley
Beneficiary
