Miss Abby is our spunky 9 year old! She is an amazing kid! Always wanting to help, always wanting to make someone smile!
She was diagnosed with Mitochondrial disease shortly after Joey. She was about 2 when they started looking at her labs and biopsies. Abby had a lot of issues since birth that were not as severe as Joey's by any means, but enough that once they found Mito in her brother they started looking at her. She battled sleep apnea requiring a monitory, she had severe reflux and many other GI issues as well as low muscle tone. By 2 1/2 we really started to see the energy issues with her. She started getting more and more tired and having more trouble with her development.
Abby was Diagnosed by 3with Mitochondrial disease. Her labs truly pointed in that direction. She has done fairly well with the disease only having minor set backs until the last couple of years. This last year, her struggles have really increased after having the flu last winter.
Having the flu lead to Abby developing a seizure disorder and many more muscle tone issues arose after that time. Mito kids and the flu just don't mix! After recovery, it wasn't long that they decided Abby needed a g-tube placed for hydration. She was constantly in the ER because of needing fluids and that need would worsen her pulmonary issues making her require oxygen and throw her into a huge time of added weakness. After getting the tube placed, Abby hasn't had to go to the ER for fluids and has done so much better fighting sickness!
Abby battles migraines, Seizures, lung problems due to low muscle tone in her chest, sleep disorders such as apnea and hypoventilation, she has trouble absorbing Iron and has to take many supplements, she has gasteoperesis (Slowed gut) that causes her to some times struggle with her nutrition, she fatigues quickly leaving her struggling with her oxygen levels and her heart rate being elevated, she struggles with heat intolerance that makes her truly sick, she has renal problems and urological problems. On top of her Mito, she also has celiac (Allergy to wheat). She has leg braces that come up close to her knees to help her with standing and walking. She also uses a wheel chair for extended walking and standing to help her pain and energy levels. 
Some of the doctorson her team include neurology, cardiology, GI, endo, nephrology, urology, pulmonary, metabolism, infectious disease & ENT.
Helping get this van would help Abby greatly with her pain and the needs that she has when we travel. Having a handicap accessible van would give her the support she needs on days that climbing in and out are too exhausting or painful for her! Thank you for making this happen!
No comments:
Post a Comment