- Pin it
- SubscribeUnsubscribe
- Embed
Juli-Ann Santiago hasn't added a story.
Good day everyone.
I am Juli-Ann Santiago, Loida Santiago's daughter. I frequently share
on social media about the health struggles of my mother, whose kidneys
ceased functioning seven years ago. She has been on dialysis ever
since. We thank God every day for giving her the strength to fight.
But those 7 years were never easy, and for someone with a long-term
disease, complications are bound to happen. Recently, the
complications of my mother’s illness have become urgent, and managing
them is becoming impossible for my family and I to handle ourselves.
The current difficulties began a few months ago with difficulty
in breathing. The doctor diagnosed my mother with a Right Pleural
Effusion, a painful condition where fluid builds up in the lungs and
chest cavity. The first doctor inserted a pig catheter, which worked
for a month before it became infected and had to be removed. Four
months later, mom’s lungs filled with fluid again, and the doctor
decided to drain her lungs a different way, Thoracentesis. The doctor
extracted 1.6 liters of fluid, but did not succeed in draining
everything. Worse, my mother’s lungs filled again in three days,
necessitating another Thoracentesis to drain them.
After being sent home, a different problem occurred. Her left
arm became very swollen because the access port that facilitates her
life-saving dialysis treatment was failing. Last September 26, she
underwent Venogram/Venoplasty to widen the narrowed vein again repair
the access port. It was successful, but increased the costs.
Soon after that operation, she again had difficulty breathing
because her lungs had filled again. The doctor drained another 1.1L of
fluid, but on our way home she experienced a severe pain in her chest
that prompted me to bring her to the nearest hospital. During the
assessment, her blood pressure kept dropping, and the doctors would
not let us go home. That was last Wednesday, October 3, and she
remains in the hospital. They drained 1.1L from her right lung, but an
incredible 2L accumulated two days later.
Yesterday, we were referred to a specialist who suggested a
“last resort” procedure called a Chest Tube Thoracostomy. He will
surgically insert a tube, drain the fluid, and then attempt at a
Pleurodesis in which he will artificially obliterate part of her chest
cavity to prevent the accumulation of fluid. There is a 20% chance of
failure, but we're hoping for the best. The procedure is risky and
requires a one-week stay in the hospital.
In plain terms, my mother is literally drowning from fluid in
her lungs that fills as fast as we can drain it. No insurer will cover
her therefore her medical expenses must be paid for with cash, up
front. If there is no money, we cannot receive care for mom. My
brothers and I have avoided asking for financial help as much as
possible. We have found ways to make ends meet by juggling credit
cards and borrowing money elsewhere, although this adds to the
emotional toll of mom’s ongoing deterioration. However, the current
bills are fast becoming overwhelming. On behalf of our family, I am
humbly asking for your help. Any amount will mean so much to us. No
matter how much, we will forever be grateful to you because you help
us prolong our Mother’s life. Again, on behalf of our family, thank
you so much and may God bless us all.
⁃
Juli-Ann Santiago
Highlights
See all activity11Activity
Delete media item?
Delete this item from the media gallery? It will also be deleted from any related story update.
Set as ?
The campaign video will appear in social media and email.
The campaign cover picture will appear in social media and email.
The will appear at the top of your campaign page and in social media and email.
Reset ?
It will be removed from the top of your campaign and won't be used as default in social media and email. The will remain in the media gallery.
Embed
Share a link
Delete update
Delete this story update?
Any pictures or videos will remain in the campaign's media gallery.
Report campaign
Report submitted
Thank you. We take reports like yours very seriously. Our goal is to keep the community safe.
Please know that we may contact you for more information, but that we won't notify you personally of our decision. If the campaign remains available within a few days, it's likely that we determined it not to be in violation of our policies.
Thank you. We've already received your previous report. If the campaign remains available within a few days, it's likely that we determined it not to be in violation of our policies.
Tell us about the problem. Please fill in both fields below.
Record a video
Upload a video
Nothing grabs attention for your cause like a personal video. Take a minute or two to record one now. Record a short video message of support. Or upload one from your device. You can preview or redo your video before you post it.
Nothing grabs attention for your cause like a personal video. Upload a short video message of support. Upload a short video message of support. Or record one right now.
- Most effective video length: about a minute.
- Maximum length: 5 min.
- You can preview or redo your video before you post it.
Heads up! The existing video will be replaced.
Email your friends
Join our team
Tell people why our cause matters to you. Your personal message will encourage others to help. Easy, effective, optional.
Say it in video
Short personal videos by supporters like you are incredibly powerful. Record one right now and you'll help us raise more money. Easy, optional, effective.
Add a personal goal
Set a personal fundraising goal. You'll encourage more contributions if you do. And rest easy. There's no obligation to achieve your goal or bad consequences if you don't. Easy, optional, effective.
We have a video!
Video thumbnail
We'd love to show you our campaign video. Want to take a look?
, you're already on the team.