Help Nurse Arianna get to the US for Medical Help

Good evening, my name is Karen Richter, my husband I are the pseudo parents to the wonderful Arianna Bell. Arianna lived with our family for a short time while she was attending Nursing School in Red Deer in 2017, she then ventured out on her own to pursue the collage life. In December 2021 Ari fast tracked her education and graduated with Distinction from the University of Alberta Nursing Program. Ron and I have watched Ari go from a vibrant, fun loving, independent, hard working, driven woman to a shell of a person. Ari can no longer, work, drive, be left on her own, eat, although she fiercely tries to hide how she is feeling. Ron and I are reaching out to our friends, family, the horse community, medical community, to help Ari get to the Mayo Clinic in August. Ari’s own medical team have said there is nothing more they can do for her here in Canada. PLEASE HELP US HELP HER.

Allow me to tell you a little bit of her storey.

On May 7th 2021 Arianna and her family went to have her Pfizer Covid 19 vaccine, Ari needed the shot to work, but just as important she needed the shot so she could travel to the United States and show her beloved horses in a sport that she is a Multi time National Champion of. Two days after the injection of the Pfizer Vaccine Arianna became very sick, and 22 plus doctor visits, countless specialists, wrong diagnoses and surgical procedures later her health has become dire.

Below is a facebook post to her family,

Small content warning for those who may be uncomfortable:

May 7, 2021- May 7, 2022.

The girl in the first picture is a wholly different person from who the girl in the following pictures became over the course of a year.

She had no idea what the events of that day would put in motion, no idea what fight was coming, and no idea what struggles lie ahead. She was excited, looking forward to building a career, celebrating a new degree, and planning such big, bright things for the future.

My life has changed immeasurably over the past year, in ways I never could have expected. I guess no one expects to become seriously ill in their early twenties, and I was no exception. I was blindsided by everything that came. Three surgeries, multiple procedures, constant and changing illness and more tests than I can count. My health changed so dramatically I lost the ability to eat and digest basic food and water on my own. I never imagined needing to carry a tube feed and pump to work or have IV fluids at a horse show just to make it through a day.

I would have liked to say that I always held my chin up, that I always fought everything with a smile and kept moving forward ready to face the next thing. I’d like to say that I took it all with grace and determination and a steadfast heart… but that would be a lie. The truth is, I had many a pity party— there were times when I looked in the mirror and saw all those tubes and ugly cried. When I got in the shower after a surgery and sobbed and swore. When all my hair fell out and my skin turned yellow and my body changed and I pitied myself and held on to my mom and cried. And then there were the times when I hugged my mom and yelled and screamed that I didn’t think I could do it anymore, that I didn’t want to do it anymore- it just wasn’t fair and that things would never get better and there wasn’t any point.

I think like most people, I thought that when life kicked like this, I would be strong. That I would always keep taking the next step. In reality, that wasn’t always the case. In fact, I can honestly say that I made it this far because of the most amazing people. Family and friends, and the members of healthcare who truly cared, those were the people who pushed and pulled and propelled me to keep going forward, to keep getting back on my feet every time. I was and continue to be blessed with the support of my family who have carried me every step of the way and always been in my corner, advocating for me when I was too tired to do it myself.

A lot has changed over the last year. I’ve changed a lot in the last year. A lot of it has been negative, I’m not at the point of acceptance yet where I’m ready to say it all happened for a reason. But happen it did, and in spite of it all, I survived. I celebrated big milestones and experienced amazing things. I spent time with family and friends and enjoyed every moment I could. I got to do things with my horses and family that we’ve never been able to do before, and every moment of that was amazing.

The fight isn’t over and my health hasn’t stabilized, there is still so much to do, facing the next year to come. But the girl in the first photo had no idea this was coming, and the girl in all the others had no idea how she made it that far. Today I get to look back and be amazed to have made it here, to be proud of the girl who made it through everything so far. I get to thank everyone who helped me get here. I get to reflect and be thankful so I can keep moving forward and make it through another year even better than the last.

Am extra special thank you to my mom, who never let me quit, who hugged me when I cried, stayed by my bed through the multiple hospitalizations, and never missed a procedure. Thank you to my mom who raised me up from my lowest and always took care of me, even now. Thank you to my mom who dealt with me when I was insufferable, and celebrated with me each good thing that came our way.

Here’s to making it through the next 365.

As a foot note, we are at June 20th 2022 Ari’s has fallen even sicker, please help Ari and her family get the funds needed to get to the Mayo clinic before it is too late.

From the bottom of my heart, Ron and I thank you for any donation you can help with.

Karen

Let's get Ari back to the vibrant woman she once was.