A little help for Bridget :)
Donation protected
Hey everyone!
I have started a page to support my dear friend Bridget Burke. Many people don't know what she has been dealing with because she has been so sick and often not able to leave the house. I'll try my best to give a brief synopsis of what this lady has endured over the last two and a half years and the immense need to get her to a pay for service clinic in Toronto for a possible diagnosis.
Approximately two years ago, Bridget began suffering from migraine like headaches, and swollen lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are found all over your body, they are an integral component of our lymphatic system which is responsible for providing support to the immune system. She was hospitalized in Sault Ste. Marie several times, and even spent some of her time in the ICU, but never received a diagnosis. Due to the lack of a diagnosis, the doctors were only to treat the symptoms.
They began with antibiotics and steroids, this was to try and help reduce the swelling of the lymph nodes. They also tried Humira and other immune suppressing medications, but unfortunately this treatment did not work.
She was referred to a Rheumatologist in Newmarket, and again, no diagnosis was made. It was back to the drawing board. Returning to the Sault, a surgeon was consulted, and decide to surgically remove some of the swollen lymph nodes, as the medication treatment was not helping. She had lymph nodes removed from her neck, groin and ankles. Onto more immunosuppresants medication, and hospital admissions for pneumonia and sepsis.
With all of the steroids and immune suppressing medication, a new complication arose, a dead bone in her heel. It sounds as awful as it is painful. More antibiotics to try and deal with the swelling lymph nodes but still no diagnosis. Unfortunately, as aforementioned, without a diagnosis there is no way to ultimately treat the root cause of the illness. A referral to Toronto General Hospital came through, bone marrow aspiration and other tests were completed, still no diagnosis.
Apart from the obvious stress of being sick with no known reason why, there has also been the loss of income and quality of life. Bridget's amazing fiancé, oRandy Swanson, has been working as much as he possibly can to support his family. Unfortunately, there are only so many hours in a day. They need some help to get Bridget the care that she desperately needs and so deserves.
This is where we come in. Bridget has a referral to the Lockwood Clinic in Toronto. This clinic is funded by OHIP, although some tests are not covered. She has not been able to work for over two years, and living on disability barely covers the cost of daily living. Let's help get Bridget to this clinic and get her a diagnosis so she can be treated!!! It's time to get this lady some quality of life back :)
I have started a page to support my dear friend Bridget Burke. Many people don't know what she has been dealing with because she has been so sick and often not able to leave the house. I'll try my best to give a brief synopsis of what this lady has endured over the last two and a half years and the immense need to get her to a pay for service clinic in Toronto for a possible diagnosis.
Approximately two years ago, Bridget began suffering from migraine like headaches, and swollen lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are found all over your body, they are an integral component of our lymphatic system which is responsible for providing support to the immune system. She was hospitalized in Sault Ste. Marie several times, and even spent some of her time in the ICU, but never received a diagnosis. Due to the lack of a diagnosis, the doctors were only to treat the symptoms.
They began with antibiotics and steroids, this was to try and help reduce the swelling of the lymph nodes. They also tried Humira and other immune suppressing medications, but unfortunately this treatment did not work.
She was referred to a Rheumatologist in Newmarket, and again, no diagnosis was made. It was back to the drawing board. Returning to the Sault, a surgeon was consulted, and decide to surgically remove some of the swollen lymph nodes, as the medication treatment was not helping. She had lymph nodes removed from her neck, groin and ankles. Onto more immunosuppresants medication, and hospital admissions for pneumonia and sepsis.
With all of the steroids and immune suppressing medication, a new complication arose, a dead bone in her heel. It sounds as awful as it is painful. More antibiotics to try and deal with the swelling lymph nodes but still no diagnosis. Unfortunately, as aforementioned, without a diagnosis there is no way to ultimately treat the root cause of the illness. A referral to Toronto General Hospital came through, bone marrow aspiration and other tests were completed, still no diagnosis.
Apart from the obvious stress of being sick with no known reason why, there has also been the loss of income and quality of life. Bridget's amazing fiancé, oRandy Swanson, has been working as much as he possibly can to support his family. Unfortunately, there are only so many hours in a day. They need some help to get Bridget the care that she desperately needs and so deserves.
This is where we come in. Bridget has a referral to the Lockwood Clinic in Toronto. This clinic is funded by OHIP, although some tests are not covered. She has not been able to work for over two years, and living on disability barely covers the cost of daily living. Let's help get Bridget to this clinic and get her a diagnosis so she can be treated!!! It's time to get this lady some quality of life back :)
Organizer and beneficiary
Jessica Eileen
Organizer
Sault Ste Marie, ON
Bridget Burke
Beneficiary