Andrea Hembroff - home and medical expenses
Donation protected
As many of you know, Andrea struggled with abnormal health conditions from an unknown cause for over a decade, making her increasingly ill over these last couple years.
After years and years of ER visits, MRI's, cat scans, blood tests, and thousands of dollars, Andrea was finally diagnosed with chronic Lyme disease, which they believe has been progressing in her body, brain, and heart for over 20 years. This delay in diagnosis has put her into late-stage Lyme, has caused neurological damage, and could potentially lead to dementia, MS, or Parkinsons; her battle will be lifelong.
She struggles with severe tinnitus, shoulder and neck pain, dementia-like symptoms, stutter and stammer, not finding the words, confusion, dizziness, seizure-like episodes, migraines that can last days and sometimes as long as months, along with many other daily symptoms.
She was able to find a doctor to treat her. He got her started on an intense 18-month long course of treatment to hopefully combat some of the infection in her brain and body. Some of the supplements used during treatment can cause reactions such as herxing symptoms (much like detox symptoms), that are quite debilitating at times. Due to Lyme Disease not being recognized by the CDC, therefore treatment not being covered by insurance, she has had to pay for all of her testing and treatment out of pocket, adding up to $20,000 in just one year so far, and she is only in the second stage of her treatment. More tests and treatments are taking place to address the inflammation in her brain and will continue in her near future.
Lately she has been very ill again. Thinking maybe the treatment wasn't working any longer, she's been feeling extremely defeated and exhausted from such a long, tough fight with no results. Then recently, her and her husband discovered mold in the basement of their home. A lot of mold. Mold toxicity and Lyme go hand-in-hand, which would explain why she is failing to get better. Her system is not responding to treatment due to a chronic inflammatory response caused by toxic mold. What is supposed to be her safe haven, the place to raise her family safely, and to heal, is keeping her ill.
Her amazing husband has put a lot work and effort into ripping out as much as possible within his abilities and means, and they've had a friend graciously come assess the situation. There is water coming in, so they will need to re-grade the yard when it thaws. The amount of extensive damage to the house will absolutely require professionals to remedy and is going to be hefty bill that insurance won't cover. After a year of expensive treatment, a pandemic, and living on one income (due to her being unable to work with this crippling illness), they have no resources left to tackle more major expenses or projects.
Whether you've known Andrea for a day or for years, you know what a strong, kind-souled, gracious, and generous human she is, and how deserving her and her family is for better days ahead. Her ability to make you feel special, and put your problems ahead of her own is undeniable. The physical pain and suffering she endures on a daily basis, is something most of us will thankfully never have to feel, and yet she still wants to know how you are, and what she can do to help you. She would never in a million years ask for help, she always says someone else has it worse than her, and she counts her blessings daily. She has managed to survive her struggles thus far, with the love for her 3 children and her husband as her biggest motivators for life (personally I think she is a superhero and powerhouse for coming this far!).
Having some financial help to get their home damage and repairs started, would put them in an enormously better position to move forward, hopefully getting her back on track to health and healing with her treatment. As friends, family, and as a community, I know all of us would love nothing more than to see her and her family relieved of even just 1 of the burdens they carry currently during this hard time. Every little bit helps. Your help is very much appreciated!
If you would like to contribute offline, please contact myself, Tara Prendergast (organizer) to get it arranged. (I know Gofundme has fees, etc.; please only do what you feel comfortable with). I have figured out a way to avoid the fees and penalties and still contribute to the fundraiser.
Other ways you may be able help:
* Share this link please
* Can you offer your professional services or discounts on services? (help fix the mold issue, water coming in, re-grading the lawn when the ground thaws, etc.).
* As we've heard a lot lately from Andrea -- PLEASE educate yourself and protect yourself regarding Lyme disease, as well as mold toxicity!
Help bring awareness.
After years and years of ER visits, MRI's, cat scans, blood tests, and thousands of dollars, Andrea was finally diagnosed with chronic Lyme disease, which they believe has been progressing in her body, brain, and heart for over 20 years. This delay in diagnosis has put her into late-stage Lyme, has caused neurological damage, and could potentially lead to dementia, MS, or Parkinsons; her battle will be lifelong.
She struggles with severe tinnitus, shoulder and neck pain, dementia-like symptoms, stutter and stammer, not finding the words, confusion, dizziness, seizure-like episodes, migraines that can last days and sometimes as long as months, along with many other daily symptoms.
She was able to find a doctor to treat her. He got her started on an intense 18-month long course of treatment to hopefully combat some of the infection in her brain and body. Some of the supplements used during treatment can cause reactions such as herxing symptoms (much like detox symptoms), that are quite debilitating at times. Due to Lyme Disease not being recognized by the CDC, therefore treatment not being covered by insurance, she has had to pay for all of her testing and treatment out of pocket, adding up to $20,000 in just one year so far, and she is only in the second stage of her treatment. More tests and treatments are taking place to address the inflammation in her brain and will continue in her near future.
Lately she has been very ill again. Thinking maybe the treatment wasn't working any longer, she's been feeling extremely defeated and exhausted from such a long, tough fight with no results. Then recently, her and her husband discovered mold in the basement of their home. A lot of mold. Mold toxicity and Lyme go hand-in-hand, which would explain why she is failing to get better. Her system is not responding to treatment due to a chronic inflammatory response caused by toxic mold. What is supposed to be her safe haven, the place to raise her family safely, and to heal, is keeping her ill.
Her amazing husband has put a lot work and effort into ripping out as much as possible within his abilities and means, and they've had a friend graciously come assess the situation. There is water coming in, so they will need to re-grade the yard when it thaws. The amount of extensive damage to the house will absolutely require professionals to remedy and is going to be hefty bill that insurance won't cover. After a year of expensive treatment, a pandemic, and living on one income (due to her being unable to work with this crippling illness), they have no resources left to tackle more major expenses or projects.
Whether you've known Andrea for a day or for years, you know what a strong, kind-souled, gracious, and generous human she is, and how deserving her and her family is for better days ahead. Her ability to make you feel special, and put your problems ahead of her own is undeniable. The physical pain and suffering she endures on a daily basis, is something most of us will thankfully never have to feel, and yet she still wants to know how you are, and what she can do to help you. She would never in a million years ask for help, she always says someone else has it worse than her, and she counts her blessings daily. She has managed to survive her struggles thus far, with the love for her 3 children and her husband as her biggest motivators for life (personally I think she is a superhero and powerhouse for coming this far!).
Having some financial help to get their home damage and repairs started, would put them in an enormously better position to move forward, hopefully getting her back on track to health and healing with her treatment. As friends, family, and as a community, I know all of us would love nothing more than to see her and her family relieved of even just 1 of the burdens they carry currently during this hard time. Every little bit helps. Your help is very much appreciated!
If you would like to contribute offline, please contact myself, Tara Prendergast (organizer) to get it arranged. (I know Gofundme has fees, etc.; please only do what you feel comfortable with). I have figured out a way to avoid the fees and penalties and still contribute to the fundraiser.
Other ways you may be able help:
* Share this link please
* Can you offer your professional services or discounts on services? (help fix the mold issue, water coming in, re-grading the lawn when the ground thaws, etc.).
* As we've heard a lot lately from Andrea -- PLEASE educate yourself and protect yourself regarding Lyme disease, as well as mold toxicity!
Help bring awareness.
Organizer and beneficiary
Tara Prendergast
Organizer
Andover, MN
Andi Hembroff
Beneficiary