Saving Amy

Meet Amy! 

Amy is a daughter, wife, mom, friend, sister, warrior,  princess, and probably the kindest, biggest hearted human you may ever meet. Those of you who know her, already know.

Amy has TWO infectious diseases. Lyme, and Brucella. 
(Brucellosis). I will let her tell her story below. But here are the reasons we are raising money for Amy.

Amy lost her insurance, and has no medical coverage. The Doctors have told her there is nothing left to do, and have sent her home with no hope. Through research, and the help of friends, we have found a Dr. that has given us hope. Hope because, he has successfully cured several people we know, or know of.

Obviously, there are no guarantees, but there is hope.
Here's the thing. We are asking for 10,000 to get Amy to Michigan where this Dr. is. We believe that this money will cover her travel and stay for up to a week, the blood test, MRI, and any other testing needed to FIND OUT if he can help her.

So, 10,000 is hopefully only the beginning of what we will be asking for in the future. Because hopefully he can treat her.

Thank you for taking the time to read this far. PLEASE, .. read Amy's story below, in her words. 

Thank you in advance, and God Bless.



Amy, 1/25/2019

Being asked to start at the beginning feels, well it feels like an intangible request. The beginning seems like a far off, lost memory. I spent years confused and angry, as I sought truth for what I knew to not be "right". I can recall as far bask as 18, maybe 19 years of age, feeling like my body felt off. Followed by a slow, and thankfully so, decline. Many years later we would come to find some truths. I bounced from doctor to doctor, with each one having ideas, but no real answers. The final doctor settling on a diagnosis of fibromyalgia, as it runs in the family. She set out on an almost year long venture to find me a Rheumatologist.

A long time later and NO answers, no Rheumatologist, I landed myself in my OB/GYN's office, of all places! As it turns out, that would be just another area of my life these diseases would attempt to rob from. After some intense blood work, and after many tears were poured in her office, we had answers. The doctor came in that tiny room with such joy on her face because she finally had figured it out. She proclaimed proudly, " I know why you're so sick. You have Lyme Disease." At the time, there was some joy for the answer received. Mixed with fear and confusion. She referred me back to my PCP with her new found answers.

Enter the first infectious disease doctor. I remember driving the hour to the infectious disease doctor's office for the first time, which I did many times after, feeling so hopeful. Like I was headed to someone who would have the answers. Little did I know how much these diseases had already taken a toll on my life and my family. Being completely unaware that everything I had previously been through was in direct correlation with these diseases. I knew I was ready to get my life back for myself, but more importantly for my forever loving husband and beautiful children. Well, boy did she have the answers! Following more blood being taken from me than should ever be taken from a human, she called to inform me that not only did I have a very active Lyme Disease infection, I also had another very active infection of a very rare infectious disease that goes by the name Brucella. She wanted me on oral meds ASAP.

See, both of these glorious diseases can, and do for me, come with a slew of health issues. So, in order to stop any further damage being done, we needed to kill them, and kill them fast! Following months of these antibiotics that made me feel so ill, as If I didn't feel terrible enough, the infectious disease doctor calls to inform me the antibiotics are doing nothing! My blood work is still showing active, intense infections of both diseases. Enter the PICC lines. She decided oral medicine is no longer going to do it, and we would need to have a PICC placed and have the assistance of home health.

My poor kids have seen more than they ever should. They have had to dwell in fear for their mother more than they ever should. My sweet, sweet husband has had to stand by the vow, “in sickness and in health" more than he ever should. Many PICC lines and antibiotics later, this particular infectious disease doctor looked at me and proclaimed she had nothing else for me. Nothing left to do, nothing left to give, nothing left to try.
Lost, hurt, angry, confused, sick, DOES NOT come close to how I felt. Back to my PCP I go. A lot of time, with ups and downs in between, the PCP gets me in with yet another infectious disease doctor. I will never forget her scheduler, whom I had, for obvious reasons, gotten to know very well, calling me with such excitement! The infectious disease doctor they had gotten me in with was head of his department at a teaching school and hospital here in Nashville. He was not taking patients, but had agreed to see me because of my diseases. Rather timely, as well! Again, enter hope and joy, answers around the bend. Again, answers are what we got and truly got this time. Here is where, when, I learned that the issues often landing me in my OB/GYN's office, that the babies I have waiting in heaven for me, that all the pain and other symptoms were all due to these diseases having their way with my body. The doctor was so knowledgeable and so informative, so much so that I remember leaving that office broken, but also with such hope for the future. He, like the other doctors before, set forth a plan of action.

Tests were scheduled to see the severity of the diseases in my organs and bones. We scheduled the procedure for a Hickman to be placed. All done, at least for me, felt like with lightning speed. My sweet family and amazing husband held me through every up, every down, every unknown, every procedure, every round we had taken with this war we were waging. Traumatically so, this round would prove to be no different. We got results back, the Hickman Catheter was placed, and I started at home antibiotics with home health assistance, in what seemed like a flash! Now, I'm leaving some of the circles we did, some of the ups and many downs out of the story. Because, well, it's long enough as it is!

Shortly into the treatment, I started to notice some stuff with my vision happening. I would mention it to all the appropriate parties, with it being brushed off. With again what seemed like lightning speed, I went from having some vision issues, to what seemed like something out of a horror movie. I reached a point where my vision was nothing but constant movement and blurriness. I had NO balance. Truly, the scariest thing I have ever faced. After some time in the hospital due to concerns I'd had a stroke, came confirmation that I had a reaction to the antibiotic. I had Ototoxicity. The antibiotic had killed off my inner ear hair cells. The tool God gives our brains the ability to communicate with our bodies for balance and vision was now dead. They are not something that grows back!

I went through months of therapy, learning to correct my vision, to walk again. I spent months not being able to do anything. Not able to take care of myself, much less my family. In this area, I'm finally seeing more good days than bad, and finally getting a bit of these abilities back. Thanks to my amazing therapist, that God so graciously placed in our lives. After that disaster, I needed a reprieve, a moment to collect myself and determine what was next. To determine how much fight I had left in me. My last and final blood draw showed active infections of both diseases. The diagnosis is "chronic" or "late stage" versions of both diseases and there is nothing more to be done. Medical terminology I am unwilling to accept.
My future includes a long list of expected doom and the doctor's advice to "enjoy life". See, here is the thing. I refuse to give up. Things are getting worse, so the fight is getting harder and wearing heavier. The "what if's" and the worries carry more weight than before. The bad days remind me if I don't fight this, death is knocking. Days not waking in pain are now only a fond memory. There's now a new version of life, one that includes grace for myself when I can't remember things. Due to the fact I live in what feels like fog. If this continues to go untreated, the things I struggle with now will only get worse. There will be new, unshakable realities. The Lyme infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system. That explains my severe headaches and neck aches, the pain that radiates to every inch of my being; the constant nausea, insomnia, loss of memory and concentration; constant, EXTREME fatigue.

If untreated, these symptoms will be a drop in the bucket to the paralyses, the possible break down of organs, the seizures. That's just the Lyme, the Brucella has it's own slew of gifts! Those include fevers. Fevers that feel like I am burning from the inside out., fevers that are truly unexplainable. I can also expect a possible battle with endocarditis, inflammation of the lining of my heart. That usually requires a valve replacement. Inflammation of my spine, spleen and liver. These are fears that are becoming more real EVERY SINGLE day. If this remains untreated, It's not a matter of if it will kill me, it's when. I have always had faith that God has a plan, I have always proclaimed it. I will never not trust. I am, however, tired. I am scared. I feel the shadow of the things haunting my soul. I search and fight every day. For my kids, my husband, the people I love, I know my miracle will come. In some fashion, so I wait. Wait upon Him, as asked.