Sammi's 14th Surgery Fund

Being Beautiful does not mean you are not gravely ill and living a life of medical hell. 

Sammi is a beautiful woman whom I have personally known since she was 12.  Sammi is now 21 and a student at Kansas University.  She is planning to become a Maxillofacial Surgeon because she has spent so much time in the care of wonderful surgeons.  Sammi has been ill her entire life and it took the courage of her mother who would not accept that there was nothing wrong with her daughter to spend countless hours dealing with a school system who said no one this beautiful can be this sick and doctors who were adamant that because they could find nothing wrong, it was in her head, before finding a  surgeon who found that Sammi had a serious problem.  Eventually, even the Mayo Clinic gave up on her after 11 surgeries because they had no idea what more to do.  THEN the arthritis foundation recommended a surgeon in Brockton, Mass. who spent countless hours (even after a full day seeing patients) to call Sammi and her mother, Kathleen, so they could find a way to help Sammi.  It took a trip to Brockton (a suburb of Boston) to find out what the problem is and more surgeries to attempt to resolve the issue.  But it still is not fixed, after 13 surgeries! 


For surgery #13, she was in Brockton  where she had total joint replacement surgery on both sides of her jaw and her disks were bent backwards, creating more issues during surgery and recovery, including a stay in ICU.  Following this, Sammi and Kathleen were certain the end of her health issues was here and she could live a normal life.  Sammi had been healthy and feeling great then she started the slow decline she has had after every one of her previous surgeries. Dr. Ferraro in Brocktonhas seen the xrays and other tests and sees that the bones have grown back and this is what is causing the migraines, the totally debilitating pain as well as nausea, stomach issues and many other side effects which both Sammi and Kathleen thought were done. 

It has been 5 years since the first surgery at Mayo and they are ready for #14.  With this surgery, they will have to take a portion of her abdomen to use as a cushion for the joints, shave the bones down on both sides of her jaw.  She will be in ICU for at least a couple of days due to the extreme challenge of the surgery and she will need to have 27 terribly painful Neurotoxin injections all over her face, forehead, neck, back and top of her head,  Sammi will be on medication for the rest of her life to prevent further problems and we are not even sure #14 is the last surgery. 
This upcoming surgery came as a total shock.  They had gone to Brockton to see what was going on and spent all their savings on the last trip.

Anyone with a child knows that when there are serious health issues the savings go quickly.  Sammi is not going to be able to ride in the car to MA as she has in the past.  It takes too much of a toll on her physically before and after surgery.  She and her mother will need to fly to Boston, rent a car to drive to Brockton and stay at a hotel only a few blocks from the surgery center.  Since Sammi always has complications after surgery, this is a necessity.   The stay in Brockton could be a matter of days or a matter of weeks.  Kathleen has to take time off work to care for Sammi before and after surgery.  Sammi had to drop out of class for the semester due to her health.   Sammi's care will require Kathleen be off work for weeks.  Sammi requires 24-hour care including a stay in ICU for several days until she is ready to be moved to a room.  Even then the care is more than the nurses can be expected to handle so Kathleen spends 24 hours by her side.  This is not a minor surgery, it is not a simple surgery.  Sammi could be in Intensive Care Unit for several days and then in a room for days to a week.  They will have to stay in Brockton until she is released to return home.  Since there is no doctor in Omaha capable of following up on Sammi's care, they can't leave too soon.  Kathleen has taken Sammi to every doctor in Omaha who specializes in jaw issues, to no avail. 

Please, please, help this family.  Sammi's father is deceased and Kathleen has no other support at a time when emergency surgery is necessary and there is just no funding available for all the necessary expenses. 

Thanks so much!