Help me fund my gastric pacemaker!
Donation protected
Hi, I'm Keelei, I'm 41, I'm a mum of 3 and our little family lives in Margate, in Kent, And the reason for me starting my own go fund me page, is because I need to raise £17,000 for an operation for myself! Alot of money right! I know I nearly hit the floor when I found out too, and that it's no longer funded by the NHS , this is why I've started this go fund me page, I'm going to try in every way I can to raise money, instead of sitting around moping, doing nothing about it, Nobody gets anywhere moaning about their life, and I want my life back!
I dont want to bore you all off with medical jargon and sob stories, I'm just trying to be raw and keep it simple and honest enough for you to understand but real enough, and really hope I can gather support from you all in anyway, I've met alot of people who suffer with gastroparesis like me and I hope I can help others too in anyway, I'm not only doing this for myself but I really hope I can exeed my target and help as many other people in any way I can do!Here's more info below on my condition, the operation and my struggle really.
My life changed December 2018 when I was diagnosed with a condition called Gastroparesis (Gastro as in stonach/intestines) (paresis /paralysis)
After being admitted into hospital, again after several times with unexplained vomiting and nausea lethargy, collapsing and dramatic weight loss, I was waking up several times a night vomiting, there was so much pain it caused insomnia, id gone from nearly 13 st to under 8st in the space of a year, I used to eat like a horse, but its not great being told "youve lost weight, you look great" when actually, your body's starving you
doctors put all my symptoms down to my type 1 diabetes, Which was going crazy due to the symptoms I was suffering, leaving me really sick, and it went unnoticed (not by me) for a long while, until I was reffered by my local hospital for a gastric emptying study, to see if I had the condition, which causes the nerves to the stomach muscles no longer work and the stomach can only partially or not empty at all, causing the symptoms I was having.
Ive since seen the top gastric specialist in this country whos studies, and surgeries are amazing surrounding gastroparesis! Dr.Kadirkamanathan at Broomfield hospital in Essex,
he was the one who delivered the bad news on the NHS dropping the funding for the operarion (and has assured me he does not receive a penny from the money).
The condition has changed my life for me and my family, I can no longer live a normal life I feel like it's been ripped from right beneath me and I have to spend alot of time away from my family and in hospital, or constantly sick, unable to move, and being starved while I'm so so hungry, and having to stay home, missing out on time that should be spent enjoying the tiny little normal things I took for granted! There is a way to help this condition, with an operation, the operation is to fit a G.E.S (gastric electrical simulation device, performed by Dr. Kadirkamanthan) or gastric pacemaker, which sends electrical signals to the stomach muscles to get them moving again and emptying the stomach, enabling me to be able to eat again, this comes at a cost of £17,000, which is no longer funded by the NHS and I have to fund myself, the condition has left me so poorly that I cannot work, so I want to work my butt off (whenever its possible) and fundraise and also raise awareness of this condition that many are not aware of (even medical proffesionals) or just how life changing it is.
My aim is to create fund raising events, some REALLY special prize draws, sell hampers and seasonal gifts to raise Money, sponsored events and much more, but all in good time, and any other ideas I can think of! Every single penny raised and donated will go towards the cost of my operation, and hopefully if I can exceed I can help others too! It may take some time to acheive, But Rome wasn't built in a day!
I intend to put my heart and soul into every moment I'm well enough to make this happen,
Ill keep you all updated here, and when I'm brave enough ....u may even see me Vlogging , yeahh, even the bad stuff, I may as well show you me at my worst, if I want you to get me to my best And I'd like to thank all the staff on Deal ward at Q.E.Q.M hospital Margate, who have probably looked after me since July 2018 on an almost monthly basis and all know me now, they are all so so lovely, I never want to be in hospital, but they do an amazing job and look after me so well..x
Absolutely any donation will be appreciated from the bottom of mine (and my families) hearts ❤
I dont want to bore you all off with medical jargon and sob stories, I'm just trying to be raw and keep it simple and honest enough for you to understand but real enough, and really hope I can gather support from you all in anyway, I've met alot of people who suffer with gastroparesis like me and I hope I can help others too in anyway, I'm not only doing this for myself but I really hope I can exeed my target and help as many other people in any way I can do!Here's more info below on my condition, the operation and my struggle really.
My life changed December 2018 when I was diagnosed with a condition called Gastroparesis (Gastro as in stonach/intestines) (paresis /paralysis)
After being admitted into hospital, again after several times with unexplained vomiting and nausea lethargy, collapsing and dramatic weight loss, I was waking up several times a night vomiting, there was so much pain it caused insomnia, id gone from nearly 13 st to under 8st in the space of a year, I used to eat like a horse, but its not great being told "youve lost weight, you look great" when actually, your body's starving you
doctors put all my symptoms down to my type 1 diabetes, Which was going crazy due to the symptoms I was suffering, leaving me really sick, and it went unnoticed (not by me) for a long while, until I was reffered by my local hospital for a gastric emptying study, to see if I had the condition, which causes the nerves to the stomach muscles no longer work and the stomach can only partially or not empty at all, causing the symptoms I was having.
Ive since seen the top gastric specialist in this country whos studies, and surgeries are amazing surrounding gastroparesis! Dr.Kadirkamanathan at Broomfield hospital in Essex,
he was the one who delivered the bad news on the NHS dropping the funding for the operarion (and has assured me he does not receive a penny from the money).
The condition has changed my life for me and my family, I can no longer live a normal life I feel like it's been ripped from right beneath me and I have to spend alot of time away from my family and in hospital, or constantly sick, unable to move, and being starved while I'm so so hungry, and having to stay home, missing out on time that should be spent enjoying the tiny little normal things I took for granted! There is a way to help this condition, with an operation, the operation is to fit a G.E.S (gastric electrical simulation device, performed by Dr. Kadirkamanthan) or gastric pacemaker, which sends electrical signals to the stomach muscles to get them moving again and emptying the stomach, enabling me to be able to eat again, this comes at a cost of £17,000, which is no longer funded by the NHS and I have to fund myself, the condition has left me so poorly that I cannot work, so I want to work my butt off (whenever its possible) and fundraise and also raise awareness of this condition that many are not aware of (even medical proffesionals) or just how life changing it is.
My aim is to create fund raising events, some REALLY special prize draws, sell hampers and seasonal gifts to raise Money, sponsored events and much more, but all in good time, and any other ideas I can think of! Every single penny raised and donated will go towards the cost of my operation, and hopefully if I can exceed I can help others too! It may take some time to acheive, But Rome wasn't built in a day!
I intend to put my heart and soul into every moment I'm well enough to make this happen,
Ill keep you all updated here, and when I'm brave enough ....u may even see me Vlogging , yeahh, even the bad stuff, I may as well show you me at my worst, if I want you to get me to my best And I'd like to thank all the staff on Deal ward at Q.E.Q.M hospital Margate, who have probably looked after me since July 2018 on an almost monthly basis and all know me now, they are all so so lovely, I never want to be in hospital, but they do an amazing job and look after me so well..x
Absolutely any donation will be appreciated from the bottom of mine (and my families) hearts ❤
Organizer
Keelei Wood
Organizer