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My name is Ashley Foster, I am 30, and I live in Scottsdale Arizona. I am the Survivor of a 4-Organ Transplant. But recently my organs have began to fail me and I am in need of a 2nd Transplant. This will require me to temporarily relocate to Clelevand, to be treated at Cleveland Clinc one of the handfull of Institutions that perform this kind of Transplant.
At the age of 17, I was diagnosed with Gastroparesis. Gastroparesis
is a condition of the GI tract, causing delayed gastric emptying.
Because of this, anything I ate or drank sat in my stomach for a
prolonged time, causing nausea and vomiting. Due to my excessive
nausea and vomiting, I was unable to receive enough nourishment. In
order to get all of the nourishment I need to sustain life, every
night I hooked up to an IV solution called TPN. TPN stands for Total
Parenteral Nutrition, it contained all of my daily nutritional needs.
Unfortunately, if being diagnosed with Gastroparesis wasn't
enough. I was also diagnosed with Chronic Intestinal Pseudo
Obstruction. Chronic Intestinal Pseudo Obstruction is again a
condition of the bowels that decreases the body's ability to move food
through the bowel. Due to this I experienced severe nausea, vomiting,
bloating, constipation, and pain.
After being treated for years with medications and TPN, we
exhausted all options to maintain a good quality of life. The next
step was to get a Small Bowel Transplant. This transplant is referred
to as a Modified Multi-Visceral transplant and included the following
organs; Stomach, Duodenum, Small Bowel and Pancreas.
On November 6, 2008 I was given the gift of a second chance at life. Since the transplant, I have had many complications. I have gone into severe rejection three times now, including the most recent rejection in November 2012. Thankfully, all the rejections were able to be treated with very strong medications. I've also struggled with Chronic Pancreatitis (painful inflammation of the pancreas) of the donor pancreas, requiring extended stays in the hospital and multiple procedures. I've also developed a large Arterial Thrombosis (blood clot in artery feeding transplanted organs) that threatens4- the blood flow of the newly transplanted organs. In October 2012, I underwent a very complicated surgery to open up and re-route to connection between my stomach and intestines, to hopefully treat and alleviate the severe nausea and vomiting that I had been complicated with for the 2 last years.
More recenctly, and more concerning. My Primary Transplant Doctor has
determined that I am in Chronic Rejection. This means I now need to be
Re-Transplanted. So, now the plan is for my mother and I to
practically move to Cleveland for about 6 months to 1 year, so I can
be Re-transplanted.
Unfortunately, due to my transplant and all of the complications
I have gone into extreme financial hardship and I have acquired a
great amount of debt. Although, I do have insurance, there are still
many medical and non-medical expenses that are not covered by
insurance. Since my Transplant Center is Out of State, due to its
rarity, any time I have a complication I have to return to there for
treatment. I basically have to establish a second household. This only
adds to the financial burden. Unfortunately due to these complications
and the need for many trips back and forth between Arizona and my
Transplant Center the estimated costs of the transplant and the
aftercare has far exceeded anything we could have prepared for and
this is where I am asking for help.
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