Carrie's Rheumatoid Relief Fund

Carrie Sheridan is organizing this fundraiser.

Donation protected

This is me showing up and being seen....

I have suffered with moderate to severe Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) since 2008.

This has affected my work life, as well as my friendships.

I have tried every drug out there to treat my RA and now I have run out of drug options.

I need help.

My Story

I went to a Rheumatologist in 2008, after having difficulty walking because of having painful toes. After running a few tests, I was diagnosed with RA. My doctor told me that I was "lucky" because 25% of all RA patients have Lupus, which I tested negative.

I lived with painful feet, until two years later, I woke up in excruciating pain. Over night, my RA had traveled to right knee and caused it to swell the size of a melon.

My doctor put me on Prednisone.

Prednisone made me feel great. It gave me results that the other five medications I had tried by that time didn't give me. Prednisone gave me energy I hadn't felt in a long time, but the relief I felt in my knee was only temporary.

When Prednisone stopped working, we tried Cortisone injections into my knee.

We also tried draining the inflamed synovium several times.

A stronger biologic infusion was also prescribed, but nothing would make the swelling in my knee go away.

In 2012, at my new Rheumatologist's suggestion, I met with a knee surgeon. He claimed he could get me out of pain by doing an arthroscope. At that point, I was willing to try anything to save what cartilage I had left in my knee and to get me out of the daily pain and fatigue I was feeling.

It worked.

The surgeon, told me I had lost a lot of cartilage due and that I would need a knee replacement, if the inflammation ever came back to that knee.

My right wrist always had pain and stiffness. Over time, during the time I was dealing with a swollen knee, my wrist slowly got worse. I remember praying that it wouldn't eventually come to a point where I would lose all motion in my wrist, but eventually, I did.

By then, I was on a different biologic drug. I knew the risks, -- all biologic drug warnings were the same, "may cause blood clots, some forms of skin cancer and Lymphoma."

I was sent to a hand surgeon, who didn't want to perform a wrist fusion because he felt I was too young. We tried cortisone shots, but eventually the bone-on-bone pain became too much.

In 2015, I had the bones in my wrist fused together.

I'm sure some of you remember this picture of me in a cast with my brother:

Along with the fusion, was a plate that was put in along the top of my wrist and hand.

I will never bend my wrist again, but the pain is finally gone for good.

Over the years, I have tried numerous drugs via pill, self-injections, and super-expensive biologic drug infusions.

Here are the drugs I've tried in no particular order:

√ Methotrexate

√ Plaquenil

√ Prednisone

√ Enbrel

√ Hydroxychloroquine

√ Humira

√ Actemra

√ Sulfasalazine

√ Arava

√ Leflunomide

√ Remicade

√ Orencia

√ Rituxan

√ Sulfazine

√ Otrexup

√ Xeljanz

√ Olumiant

During my appointment with my Rheumatologist in October 2019, she told me that we had run out of drug options.

Now what?

Both my boyfriend and aunt mentioned stem cells.

I decided to do some research and the most profound information was found here, which helped me make my decision to try stem cells:

Here is Neil Riordan's explanation of the benefits for RA patients using UMBILICAL CORD STEM CELLS (Mesenchymal Stem Cells):

I have done research into other treatments, read clinical trials, watched endless testimonial videos and, at this point, I'm more than ready to get started on my treatment.

I've been accepted by the Stem Cell Institute as a candidate.

With the support and encouragement of my boyfriend, I have decided that an option like stem cells, is worth trying.

All I need now is the funding for the trip and treatment.

As I explained it to him, it boils down to this:

✔ I want my life back.

✔ I want to have the energy to live my life fully again.

✔ I believe 100% that this is the key to having just that.

Thankfully, he agrees with me, which is important, because he will be my companion on the trip.

THIS IS ME ASKING FOR HELP:

It will costs $23,150 for a stem cell treatment in Panama at Neil Riordan's Stem Cell Clinic. (The country, not the city in Florida.)

I have faith that with the support of friends and family -- and even strangers-- that this treatment is possible.

It sounds like a lot, but a few years ago when I was doing MONTHLY INFUSIONS, it cost my insurance company $20,000 +/- per infusion.

I want to stress, there are no side effects of a stem cell infusion -- only a possible slight headache.

If you have questions, like I did, here is a great video to watch:

But this is the video that gave me the most hope:

Thank you for taking the time to read my story.

I look forward to sharing my experience and updates with all of you.

Thank you in advance for all the love and support.