Jade Johnson - the Impatient Patient

Our story: For those of y’all who are new to us, I’m Lenka, Jade’s mom. I’m happy to be her story-teller, and so happy to continue to have her in my life. The struggle is real. But let’s get to the patient part!

I think Jade has always been impatient. Even as a tot, she certainly never wanted to be confined in any way – no car seat, no swing, no clothes, and please don’t hold me… So it’s hard to tell her she can’t do things like drive or, sometimes, even get out of bed.

Jade is 25 years old. Until a couple of years ago, her health was relatively okay. She had a good job and was living independently. She’d been having some digestive issues and her doctor recommended that she have her gall bladder removed. She agreed to that procedure, and that’s when things went very, very wrong.

When Jade was admitted for surgery, her understanding was that she was going to have her gall bladder and a piece of her pancreas taken out – nothing more. Standard procedure – so we weren’t worried. And initially, things seemed to be going well. Jade wasn’t throwing up and she was losing weight. She was busy catching up with her job and getting ready for a big convention.

It really wasn’t until Jade went in for her post-surgical exam that her medical caretakers discovered that there was something wrong. Not only was Jade’s pulse extremely low – in the 30’s! – but she no longer had a gag reflex. There were other, seemingly unrelated, issues. She began passing out, without warning, and falling. It was a good week when 911 wasn’t called. Her cardiologist suggested she move closer to the hospital. Things were getting scary.

A new reality: Over a period of time, this is what medical practitioners have told us: while Jade was under anesthesia, the surgeon noticed she had a hernia and decided to repair it. In the process, it seems he cut her vagus nerve. Well, the vagus nerve is a very important nerve.

Among the effects of the vagus nerve injury Jade has experienced are:

There is virtually no chance that this nerve will be able to heal itself or be able to be repaired.

The continuous patient: Two years later, Jade is now being cared for by a whole team of doctors. She is unable to work. We had hoped that after a recent surgery, where the surgeon actually removed her gall bladder, which was full of gallstones, that her health would stabilize. (We’re not sure why no one told her that her gall bladder hadn’t been removed during the surgery that started all this.) Unfortunately, Jade continues to lose weight. Her body has literally begun eating itself. Because she isn’t able to digest food properly, levels of important vitamins like B-12, which normal people get from food, are dangerously low. She’s recently been able to treat that particular deficiency, bypassing her digestive system, and using injections and nasal spray. There are so many challenges – and so many expenses…

You may know that low blood glucose levels can cause seizures. This is something we often think of in people who are diabetic. (Everyone’s seen Steel Magnolias, right?) In Jade’s case, it isn’t diabetes that causes this, but hypoglycemia. However, Jade’s been told she doesn’t qualify for a continuous glucose monitor, or CGM, which would help her monitor her blood sugar levels and prevent seizures, because she’s not diabetic!

The ask: All we want is for Jade to be healthy enough to return to a life that is somewhat normal. She is currently on Medicaid, which means she’s often waitlisted for specialists. She’s hoping to be seen at the Brain Institute, UT Dallas, and will need to have insurance for that. Currently, Jade’s outstanding medical bills are more than $8000. Continuing visits to the emergency room mean that number will grow. Until Jade’s health is stable, she has little chance to hold a steady job and her bills will continue to pile up. Having fallen numerous times due to seizures and sudden loss of consciousness, as you can imagine, she shouldn’t be driving! So transportation costs are another expense she’s been incurring.

We very much appreciate any help that you can give Jade –

anything from an Uber ride to that elusive CMG would be so wonderful!

If your funds are tight, we understand! Please share Jade’s story to any and everyone you know.

We know many of you continue to hold her (and us) in your prayers. We so appreciate all the good karma that has been directed our way. We are secure in our faith that God has a plan for Jade and know that it will be so much easier for her to face her life challenges without financial burdens. This goal is a lofty one – please know that every bit of it will go into a special account only for medical expenses for Jade. *There are charges associated with donating through this site.* If you are uncomfortable with donating on-line or would like to reach out to us in another way, please pm me directly. Jade has also set up a Venmo account named “Jadesmedicalfund”, where you can deposit funds directly – the code is 6859.

In spite of it all, the Impatient Patient still isn’t Patient. Please help today!