Tamera Duckett- Lupus Medical Fund
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I have created this page for Tamera Duckett, as many friends are not aware of her current health status. In fact, she has decided to share her story in more detail.
She has three main objectives with her story. One, to raise awareness of the autoimmune disease “Lupus”. Two, she needs a lot of support, love and well wishes from you all. And lastly, the financial hit has been catastrophic to her and her husband.
Tamera has been happily married for just over 23 years, and owns her dream business. In 2000, Tamera was rushed to the hospital, as all of her organs were failing at once. She was quickly diagnosed with Lupus and began the battle of her life.
Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system becomes hyperactive and attacks normal, healthy tissue. This results in symptoms such as inflammation, swelling and damage to joints, skin, kidneys, blood, the heart and lungs. As luck would have it, there a well-known Lupus expert making rounds that day. He knew exactly what to do to save her life. However, she continued to be in and out of hospitals for the next three years, all while running a business and trying to stay alive.
In 2003, Tamera's mitral valve burst and was was told that she had to have heart surgery. She needed to repair the valve in order to extend her life. The surgery was extremely difficult, as you can imagine. Doctors were confident that her positive outlook was critical to her quick recovery. She never questioned whether or not she would make it through the surgery.
Unfortunately, there were more difficult times and hospitalizations over the next year. The most frightening for her was an incident at home in 2004. Tamera suffered a TIA, a type of stroke she was aware could happen. Fortunately, her doctor had educated her on the symptoms, and her husband was home. He quickly brought her aspirin, called 911 and the stroke subsided quickly.
Between 2004 -2011, there were multiple hospitalizations, requests for surgeries, MRI's, cardiac treatments and tests done at Stanford, USF, Summit/Alta Bates, Highland and Kaiser Hospitals. Throw in several ElectroCardioversion shock treatments to bring her heart rate back to normal rhythm, and you get the idea. Lupus had battered her immune system’s ability to fend off anything that ailed her.
In 2012, Tamera's life was, again, turned upside down. She went into Kidney failure and needed to have another surgery that would allow her to start dialysis treatments. Unfortunately, the surgery did not go well. Her arm became inflamed and infected, requiring a 3-month hospital stay, and in-house care for 6 months. This meant she could no longer use that arm for dialysis. Currently she receives dialysis through a venous catheter in her neck.
Tamera has spent the last five years on the waiting list for a kidney transplant. This resulted in her inability to work full time for her business. Her family income has been drastically reduced, while the cost for medical insurance, prescription and dental premiums, co-pays for doctor visits (and more) continue to skyrocket.
Throughout all of this, Tamera has maintained a positive outlook and you would never know how sick she is by talking to her; interacting with her or looking at her. She loves her husband, family, friends and work and considers her life a gift and privilege to wake up each day.
FINANCIAL NOTES
Tamera wants to show how real her struggle is and how challenging the circumstances are.
In January of 2017, one of Tamera's medical premiums increased 5 fold.; going from $142 per month to $905 per month. And now, just her premiums are. $1398 per month. This does not include medications, doctor visits or medical supplies.
She cannot lose her medical coverages. It would be a death sentence for her. But she can no longer afford the premiums. She is terrified and filled with anxiety about what the new administration will do with the Affordable Care Act/Obamacare and how it might impact her, even more.
Tamera and her husband live frugally and within their means, including forgoing urgently needed repairs to their home. They never imagined they could be in a situation like this and have to ask for help or use this website. It is with great humility and faith that she asks for help to ease the financial burdens for these insurance premiums.
As they move from this very difficult time, we ask for your generosity, prayers and good wishes! We would appreciate any amount of gift you are able to extend. Please help us spread the word.
She has three main objectives with her story. One, to raise awareness of the autoimmune disease “Lupus”. Two, she needs a lot of support, love and well wishes from you all. And lastly, the financial hit has been catastrophic to her and her husband.
Tamera has been happily married for just over 23 years, and owns her dream business. In 2000, Tamera was rushed to the hospital, as all of her organs were failing at once. She was quickly diagnosed with Lupus and began the battle of her life.
Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system becomes hyperactive and attacks normal, healthy tissue. This results in symptoms such as inflammation, swelling and damage to joints, skin, kidneys, blood, the heart and lungs. As luck would have it, there a well-known Lupus expert making rounds that day. He knew exactly what to do to save her life. However, she continued to be in and out of hospitals for the next three years, all while running a business and trying to stay alive.
In 2003, Tamera's mitral valve burst and was was told that she had to have heart surgery. She needed to repair the valve in order to extend her life. The surgery was extremely difficult, as you can imagine. Doctors were confident that her positive outlook was critical to her quick recovery. She never questioned whether or not she would make it through the surgery.
Unfortunately, there were more difficult times and hospitalizations over the next year. The most frightening for her was an incident at home in 2004. Tamera suffered a TIA, a type of stroke she was aware could happen. Fortunately, her doctor had educated her on the symptoms, and her husband was home. He quickly brought her aspirin, called 911 and the stroke subsided quickly.
Between 2004 -2011, there were multiple hospitalizations, requests for surgeries, MRI's, cardiac treatments and tests done at Stanford, USF, Summit/Alta Bates, Highland and Kaiser Hospitals. Throw in several ElectroCardioversion shock treatments to bring her heart rate back to normal rhythm, and you get the idea. Lupus had battered her immune system’s ability to fend off anything that ailed her.
In 2012, Tamera's life was, again, turned upside down. She went into Kidney failure and needed to have another surgery that would allow her to start dialysis treatments. Unfortunately, the surgery did not go well. Her arm became inflamed and infected, requiring a 3-month hospital stay, and in-house care for 6 months. This meant she could no longer use that arm for dialysis. Currently she receives dialysis through a venous catheter in her neck.
Tamera has spent the last five years on the waiting list for a kidney transplant. This resulted in her inability to work full time for her business. Her family income has been drastically reduced, while the cost for medical insurance, prescription and dental premiums, co-pays for doctor visits (and more) continue to skyrocket.
Throughout all of this, Tamera has maintained a positive outlook and you would never know how sick she is by talking to her; interacting with her or looking at her. She loves her husband, family, friends and work and considers her life a gift and privilege to wake up each day.
FINANCIAL NOTES
Tamera wants to show how real her struggle is and how challenging the circumstances are.
In January of 2017, one of Tamera's medical premiums increased 5 fold.; going from $142 per month to $905 per month. And now, just her premiums are. $1398 per month. This does not include medications, doctor visits or medical supplies.
She cannot lose her medical coverages. It would be a death sentence for her. But she can no longer afford the premiums. She is terrified and filled with anxiety about what the new administration will do with the Affordable Care Act/Obamacare and how it might impact her, even more.
Tamera and her husband live frugally and within their means, including forgoing urgently needed repairs to their home. They never imagined they could be in a situation like this and have to ask for help or use this website. It is with great humility and faith that she asks for help to ease the financial burdens for these insurance premiums.
As they move from this very difficult time, we ask for your generosity, prayers and good wishes! We would appreciate any amount of gift you are able to extend. Please help us spread the word.
Organizer and beneficiary
Christina Bryan Fitzgibbons
Organizer
Oakland, CA
Tamera Duckett
Beneficiary