I am having a miraculous recovery from paralysis, but need much more medical treatment. I have had medical insurance throughout, but a lot of my specialized treatment isn’t covered, like certain life-saving medications and specialized physical therapy. I still can’t believe that I have survived 4 potentially fatal disorders that struck all at the same time, but I’m determined to make my recovery worthwhile. Please sign my guestbook to say hi and if you can afford to, please make a donation. Our funds are really limited while I’m unable to work and while Brad is recovering from his own workplace injury back in Nov 2017. He’s having surgery in May and won’t be back to work full time Summer 2018. To learn more about what happened with my strange and rare illness and equally rare recovery, read on.
In June of 2016, I was bit by a black fly after a day of hiking and swimming with my 4 year old son and our friends. I felt incredibly ill after the bite and went to the Emergency Room, but got no help. I started to feel better and went home. Then a week or so later, I felt really sick again. I went to a walk in clinic and was told to take more Tylenol for my headache. I kept working my two part time jobs, but within 3 weeks I was back at the emergency room with a high fever and terrible headache. I thought I just needed fluids and was dehydrated. I waited about an hour to be seen, and then once lying down, never got up again before I was transported by ambulance to a higher level hospital. I was (temporarily and partially) paralyzed, affecting all 4 limbs and some of my organs. I could move my arms I think, but I couldn’t use them, they were so weak.
I was initially diagnosed with:
Viral Meningitis
Transverse Myelitis (TM) and
Acute Disseminating Encyphalomyelitis (ADEM)
The cause was thought to possibly be from an every day virus that just savagely attacked my brain and spinal cord.
After three weeks, while in an Acute Care Physical Therapy Rehab, I was able to start taking steps again with the help of a walker and two people holding onto a waist belt to assist me. I lost so much weight and was down to 106 pounds. I was in various hospitals for 7 weeks and was away from my husband and son for 10 weeks, with weekly visits if I was well enough.
I was told that I would have a full recovery and just needed aggressive physical therapy. After 5 and half months, I was able to start snowshoeing and even cross country ski in my back yard! I still had a lot of healing to go, but was hopeful.
Then in January of 2017, I had a set back and ended up back in the hospital for most of the month. Actually it was New Year’s Eve of 20216, my mother’s birthday. She spent it with me in the ER for 13 hours. My diagnosis was corrected. The cause of the damage and rare neuro diagnoses was from a really rare form of Lupus, not a virus.
I am now getting the right treatment and am healing. I go to regular physical therapy and aqua therapy near where I live. I also go to specialized paralysis recovery therapy an hour and a half away from where Iive. That’s pay out of pocket and has been incredibly helpful. They got me so much stronger, I tried alpine skiing again in March 2018 and did it no problem. I was really afraid to fall, but didn’t. I also had been going to specialized treatment at Johns Hopkins and Kennedy Krieger in Baltimore, MD. I have one doctor who specializes in auto-immune diseases in Colorado. He’s not covered by insurance, And back at home, I go to three different hospitals to see my specialists here too.
My parents and in laws have helped out as much as they can. Family and friends have been raising money for us too. Even people I’ve never met have donated. I haven’t worked in almost 2 years and we were still reeling from my breastfeeding lawsuit – which is STILL ongoing as of April 2018. I am hoping to be back to work part time soon. We’re getting by on one car and making an art out of thrift! you don’t see too many pics or videos here because I don’t have a super smart phone to keep our bills down. I have been able to get grants for airfare for my treatments out of state, and as much financial assistance as we qualify for from the state, but recovering from paralysis is incredibly expensive.
I’ve chosen to fundraise with Help Hope Live in part because it’s tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law and makes donating quite easy. The money doesn’t go to me directly, it goes to my medical bill vendors, so it doesn’t affect my Medicaid status – which is based on income. Donors can be sure that funds donated will be used only to pay or reimburse medically-related expenses. To make a tax-deductible donation to this fundraising campaign, click on the Donate Now button. Our former fundraising page was www.gofundme.com and was set up by Brad’s former employer at the Snowvillage Inn! Many many thanks to Jen Kovach for that.
For more information, please contact me at (603) 630-6382 or Help Hope Live at 800.642.8399.
Thank you for your encouragement and support!
Kate Frederick
