Clinical Trial - Help Me Reverse MS
Donation protected
Hi, my name is Katrina Parker and I am raising funds to participate in a clinical trial study for Multiple Sclerosis taking place at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. I am 35 years old and a wife and mother of two. I was diagnosed with MS in July of 2011 and my health and quality of life has been slowly declining ever since. Multiple sclerosis is a disease in which the immune system eats away at the protective covering of nerves. The resulting nerve damage disrupts communication between the brain and the body, leading to vision loss, pain, fatigue, and impaired coordination being common symptoms of MS; all of which are plaguing my life on a day to day basis. The stem cell treatment is to strip my current immune system, replacing it with a new immune system ; which in turn has the potential of reversing some , if not all of the nerve damage that has been caused by Multiple Sclerosis and stopping the progression of the disease. The funds would be used to cover the expenses to travel from Georgia to Illinois and vice versa plus hotel stays on two separate occasions, and housing for 2 months in Illinois while receiving the Stem Cell treatment. My insurance will cover the hospitalizations and chemotherapy, but I am asking for help to cover the living expenses while receiving treatment. There is no reimbursement for travel or housing while participating in the study.
I once heard that we overcome through our testimony. So I wanted to find the best way to get my message through to people who have it in them to feel blessed to be a blessing to others. Life is a feeling process. And the best way I know to truly feel someone is to try and put myself in their shoes, and imagine that it is me going through what they're going through. So that is what I am asking you to do right now as I tell my story. If you have ever had any type of ailment, rather its a common cold, the flu, or even a broken limb of some sort, the only thing on your mind is getting back to feeling normal again. Now imagine going through life worrying day to day if that normalcy will ever come back around. It is terrifying to have to face the reality of possibly never having my vision back and not being able to walk on my own again. I wake up every day wondering will I ever be able to do the things I used to do and feel the way used to feel. But that does not mean that I am living in despair. My faith in God, and the love of my family are more than enough to keep my spirits up and get me through each day. I feel that God's hand is leading me through a test, and it will bring out the very best in me. I am able to find comfort and draw strength from knowing that the Lord does not put anything on us that is too heavy to bear. But the fact of the matter is that there is one thing lacking from the equation, and that is the necessary monetary funds to place me on the road to recovery from this debilitating disease. A wise man once said that we live in a world where money is not everything, but it ranks right up there with oxygen. We need it to survive, and in my case the need is severely urgent for me getting my life back. I am still young. I was only 31 years old when all of this happened to me. There are so many years in front of me, God willing. And by being able to go through this clinical trial, I feel that I would be getting a second chance to live my life.
In order to impart on you the severity of my current condition, I want to leave you with a rundown or all the symptoms and ailments that I am fighting through on a daily basis:
Severe fatigue (even bending over to pick something up is difficult), sensitivity to heat (very difficult to cook, take a bath or shower, stay outside in summer weather for more than a minute or two, etc.(anything dealing with heat)), muscle spasms, tremors, numbness, bladder urgency, vision problems that include nystagmus, optic neuritis, double vision, loss of depth perception and INO. Numbness, weakness (holding anything is difficult, even a pen or pencil), choking when eating or drinking, slurred speech, loss of memory , cognitive issues, loss of ability to balance, unsteady gait (walking), spasticity & stiffness. Dizziness, vertigo, and brain fog.- Handeye coordination, inability to stay focused for more than a few seconds, depression (also the inability to control emotions-sadness, anger, laughter, etc.) All of these things are present on a daily basis.
My husband and I are leaving for our second trip to the Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, Illinois in Sept. 2015 and any help would be greatly appreciated. I thank you in advance for your help and support and my family will be very grateful as well. God bless you all.
* Here is a video highlighting the success story of Barry Goudy. He is a MS survivor, and was given his second chance at life through the same clinical trial that I am hoping to complete with your help:
I once heard that we overcome through our testimony. So I wanted to find the best way to get my message through to people who have it in them to feel blessed to be a blessing to others. Life is a feeling process. And the best way I know to truly feel someone is to try and put myself in their shoes, and imagine that it is me going through what they're going through. So that is what I am asking you to do right now as I tell my story. If you have ever had any type of ailment, rather its a common cold, the flu, or even a broken limb of some sort, the only thing on your mind is getting back to feeling normal again. Now imagine going through life worrying day to day if that normalcy will ever come back around. It is terrifying to have to face the reality of possibly never having my vision back and not being able to walk on my own again. I wake up every day wondering will I ever be able to do the things I used to do and feel the way used to feel. But that does not mean that I am living in despair. My faith in God, and the love of my family are more than enough to keep my spirits up and get me through each day. I feel that God's hand is leading me through a test, and it will bring out the very best in me. I am able to find comfort and draw strength from knowing that the Lord does not put anything on us that is too heavy to bear. But the fact of the matter is that there is one thing lacking from the equation, and that is the necessary monetary funds to place me on the road to recovery from this debilitating disease. A wise man once said that we live in a world where money is not everything, but it ranks right up there with oxygen. We need it to survive, and in my case the need is severely urgent for me getting my life back. I am still young. I was only 31 years old when all of this happened to me. There are so many years in front of me, God willing. And by being able to go through this clinical trial, I feel that I would be getting a second chance to live my life.
In order to impart on you the severity of my current condition, I want to leave you with a rundown or all the symptoms and ailments that I am fighting through on a daily basis:
Severe fatigue (even bending over to pick something up is difficult), sensitivity to heat (very difficult to cook, take a bath or shower, stay outside in summer weather for more than a minute or two, etc.(anything dealing with heat)), muscle spasms, tremors, numbness, bladder urgency, vision problems that include nystagmus, optic neuritis, double vision, loss of depth perception and INO. Numbness, weakness (holding anything is difficult, even a pen or pencil), choking when eating or drinking, slurred speech, loss of memory , cognitive issues, loss of ability to balance, unsteady gait (walking), spasticity & stiffness. Dizziness, vertigo, and brain fog.- Handeye coordination, inability to stay focused for more than a few seconds, depression (also the inability to control emotions-sadness, anger, laughter, etc.) All of these things are present on a daily basis.
My husband and I are leaving for our second trip to the Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, Illinois in Sept. 2015 and any help would be greatly appreciated. I thank you in advance for your help and support and my family will be very grateful as well. God bless you all.
* Here is a video highlighting the success story of Barry Goudy. He is a MS survivor, and was given his second chance at life through the same clinical trial that I am hoping to complete with your help:
Organizer
Katrina Rochelle Parker
Organizer
Peachtree City, GA