LaShanda Coleman

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I am not really sure how to tell my story or where to start, so I will just tell you all that took place.

I was diagnosed with ILD (Interstitial Lung Disease) in July of 2017. From that point they started me on medication and did a Lung Bronchoscopy to try to figure out which form of ILD had. That did not yield any results that pinpointed the exact disease.

So when that didn’t work I continued on medication and was in and out the hospital. I have only lived in Ohio since 2002 and I have little to no family. The family that I do have we aren’t close at all. Neither my mother nor father raised me. I was raised by my grandparents whom are both deceased. My mother has never been in my life at all, I have not seen her in 20+ years. My father doesn’t like me because I am a Lesbian. He has somewhat tried to make an effort, since I have been sick but hasn’t come to see me yet.

On January 15, 2018 I went in for a Lung Biopsy which did not go well. I ended up going into Respiratory Failure, they then placed me in a medically induced coma because my CO2 levels were too high and killing me. I had to get a Tracheotomy, I had to be intubated. I was told that at one point the doctors told my wife and family that there was nothing else they could do. But then they put me on the ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) life support machine. I was on it 2/5-2/16. I am not sure what date I was brought out of the coma.

I do know that I was sent from Cleveland Clinic Main campus hospital, to a long-term care facility called Regency Hospital on February 24th. I was there until I was sent to a nursing home sometime in March. I am very fuzzy on the dates of things because this information had to be told to me. I had to learn all my motor skills back, I still have muscle weakness from the entire ordeal. I did not come home until the second week of April. I was home for 4 days, then ended up back in the hospital for a week and a half for a Collapsed Lung. If it was not for my baby brother, whom is 19 and has lived with me for the last 2 or 3 years, I would not have been able to do for myself.

I am on oxygen 24/7. I cannot walk far without being out of breath. I was off work for 6 months, I finally went back on July 15th of this year, and it has been a struggle ever since. I have to pay $8 a day for parking because it is the closet to my job. It takes me a good 30 minutes from the time I get out my car to get to my desk. The parking lot is right across the street from my job.

The final diagnosis I received is AFOP (Acute Fibrinous and Organizing Pneumonia) Lung Disease. They have been saying that I would need a Lung Transplant and even considered doing one while I was in the hospital in a coma. It was just confirmed for me on November 19th that I will need a Lung Transplant because there is no cure for the Lung Disease I have.

I was told at my Lung Transplant appointments that the only thing they could say for sure is that I am going to get sicker. They don’t know exactly when it will happen, but it will happen. Even with the medication I am on now or will be taking in the future. I was also told that I need to have a secondary and primary caregiver in order to be considered for a lung transplant.

While I am recovering my caregiver would need to be with me 24/7. They say recovery time could be 6-8 weeks. As of right now I have little to no family I can depend on. I have close friends that I can count on and my baby brother who is going to share the responsibility of taking care of me. I would like to do this fundraiser to raise money for any medical expenses not covered by insurance and also to compensate my caregiver for having to miss work 6-8 weeks during my recovery. I think that sums up everything.

LaShanda has chosen to fundraise for Help Hope Live in part because Help Hope Live assures fiscal accountability of funds raised and tax deductibility to the full extent allowed by law for contributors. Contributors can be sure donations will be used to pay or reimburse medical and related expenses. To make a tax-deductible donation to this fundraising campaign, click on the Give button.

For more information, please contact Help Hope Live at 800.642.8399.

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