Hello, my name is Alison. I am taking a HUGE chance here that is rather embarrassing for me. PLEASE read this to the end. I understand that I wrote a lot, but this is all based on all the reasons that I am asking for help.
!!!!!PLEASE BE ADVISED, GRAPHIC PHOTOS BELOW!! I DO APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE!!!
I am a Type 2 Diabetic; I was diagnosed in 2004 while pregnant with my oldest child. Ay 7 months pregnant I was tested for Gestational Diabetes and once I gave birth to her, sadly it carried on and that is when it turned into Type 2 Diabetes. For 14 years my family doctor(s) were the ones managing my diabetes and I thought that this was how it was supposed to be. I had NO clue that there was an Endocrinologist that specialized in diabetes, and I also was never recommended to the Endocrinologist. Which now knowing this, it is rather frustrating, and it could have prevented some major health diagnoses and traumas. In 2018 when I moved to another town my new PCP referred me to the Endocrinologist. I went there having a 10.4 A1C!! Now, I am so grateful to have an A1C of 7.2!
14 years later. . . In January of 2018, I ended up in the hospital for a week for pneumonia and pleurisy. I was treated and in good hands with my doctor. After that week of being in the hospital, I was released and able to go back home to my 2 youngest babies. I had a few more days off from work and I rested as much as I could.
I was released from the hospital on a Tuesday afternoon and went straight home to relax the rest of the evening and the next few days. By Thursday around noon (12pm), I laid down with my youngest child to take a nap. When, I woke up, I could not lift my Right Arm, move it, or use it. A few hours later, I began to feel disoriented, confused, and off balance. I thought nothing of it, Afterall I was 31 years old at the time. I really did not want to go back to the hospital at all, two days prior I was released from the hospital. Who would want to go back to the hospital after being there for a week already? I did tell myself that if I was not feeling better by the morning when I had to take my kids to day care, I would go to the hospital. I still felt bad the next morning, off to the hospital I went! I got to the ER and told them my symptoms and they took me straight back. The doctor immediately requested for me to get an MRI, the MRI team came and picked me up in no time. They tested me and the results came back instantly! The doctor came to my room and notified me that I had a Left-Hemispheric Ischemic Stroke!! Here I am 31 years old and had a Left-Hemispheric Ischemic Stroke?!?! I didn’t know what to say to the doctor, I didn’t ask any questions either. I mean I was confused, disoriented, and truly did not have a clue what was going on. I was immediately sent to the ICU Unit, I received a few more test of my neck, head, and an ultrasound of my neck. The doctor came in a few hours later, I found out that I had a blood clot that ruptured in my neck, and it went to my brain. I also still had a piece of “Flap” that was still in my artery inside my neck. If that small piece of clot had broken off inside of my artery it would have gone straight to my brain causing another stroke. I had two options in order to get rid of the blood clot in my neck. One was to try IV Blood Thinners, or Two was that if that did not work, I would have to have it removed by having surgery in my neck! I ended having surgery because the IV blood thinners did not work, unfortunately.
Ever since my stroke, I have dealt with added diagnoses, mental health diagnoses (mood, PTSD, insomnia, etc.). Also, having Cognitive Memory loss, my body feeling aged, lost all my teeth, and being detached from everyone. Having lost confidence in myself, trying to accept the new me, not feeling worthy, or important anymore because I feel useless at times.
Man, my son and daughter are warriors!!! After their dad passed away, it terrifies them anytime I get sick or something major happens!!! They’re so, so scared that they are going to lose me!!
THIS IS ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS WHY I AM TELLING MY STORY THOROUGHLY, THEY DON’T WANT ME TO DIE AND I DONT WANT TO DIE EITHER!!!
In January 2022, I went into a DKA Coma. I was in a Coma for 5 days. I was near death at home. Puking my guts up, but constantly thirsty so I was chugging bottles of water as I was getting sick. While doing all of that, I was also hyperventilating really bad, and as I was chugging the water at the same time, I was literally drowning myself. . . My own lungs were about to give out really soon. . . Since then, I have been doing better with my sugar and exercising as much as I can, but there’s days that it is so hard to have any energy, motivation, or be a better person/mom. I’m so sick of feeling like crap on a regular basis!! Not feeling like cooking, cleaning, and all I want to do is sleep.
THIS IS WHY I AM REACHING OUT TO YOU ALL. I KNOW I’M ASKING FOR A LOT, BUT I DON’T KNOW HOW MUCH THIS WOULD COST FOR THE FAT REMOVAL SURGERY. I SPOKE TO ONE COSMETIC SURGEON’S OFFICE AND THE FRONT DESK LADY SHARED THESE PICTURE’S WITH THE DOCTOR AND HE TOLD HER THAT IT WOULD TAKE MULTIPLE SURGERIES TO REMOVE MOST OF THE FAT. FOR ANYONE IT WAS TOO DANGEROUS TO REMOVE THAT AMOUNT OF FAT IN ONE SESSION.
As you can see in my picture I have so much fat on my stomach. This is where all my weight comes from for the most part too, probably 60 pounds worth of fat right there in my stomach. It is gross, embarrassing, disgusting, etc. I have average legs and this huge stomach! It is mostly from my diabetes and fluids. I honestly do not eat that much, and my family could tell you that!
THIS AMOUNT OF FAT THAT I HAVE WITH ALL OF MY HEALTH ISSUES IS TRULY LIFE OR DEATH. ALL OF THIS FAT IS NOT HELPING ME MINIMIZE MY DIABETES AT ALL. I DO NOT WANT TO HAVE SURGERY FOR A FLAT STOMACH, I DON’T EVEN WANT A FLAT STOMACH! I’M NOT HERE ASKING FOR HELP TO BENEFIT MY APPEARANCE; I AM HERE BECAUSE I AM VERY SCARED OF WHAT COULD HAPPEN NEXT UNEXPECTEDLY. I HAVE BEEN SO LUCKY TO MAKE IT THROUGH MY STROKE AND COMA. BOTH CAME SO CLOSE TO DEATH AND GOD SAVED MY LIFE. HE SEES THAT I HAVE MORE TO OFFER IN LIFE AND THAT MY STORY ISN’T OVER YET. I WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND THE “WHY ME” QUESTION THAT I ASK MYSELF OFTEN. I LISTEN TO GOD AND ASK HIM, “WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR ME NOW, GOD?”
I would be fine with a doctor to offer help and not receive any money. I also know that with my health having surgery like this puts me at a higher risk too. honestly though, I rather take my chances. I rather die on the operating table because I tried to get help then not trying at all!!
For anyone who is willing to help, I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO THANK YOU ENOUGH!! YOU WILL BE HELPING ME HAVE A GREATER CHANCE AT A LONGER LIFE SPAN WITH MY BABIES WHO NEED ME THE MOST, BUT I NEED THEM JUST AS MUCH AS WELL!!
God Bless you all so much from the bottom of my heart! -Alison B
