Presentation of the collection
I am addressing you with deep humility and despair. It is very difficult for me to gather the courage to ask you for help at this time. My name is Pavlína and I am 47 years old. I am the mother of a seventeen-year-old daughter with whom I live alone. I suffer from a serious and rare autoimmune disease – Takayasu vasculitis. This disease destroyed my aorta and valve, so I had to undergo two major open-chest heart surgeries when my daughter was 7 and 9 years old. During the second of them, a pneumothorax also appeared, which complicated the entire recovery even more. Everything was very demanding physically and mentally, not only for me, but also for my daughter. After everything we had been through, I was looking forward to living with my daughter in peace and without fear for my life. But our happiness lasted only less than four ye
Who will we help?
Three and a half years ago, I started to get weak and didn't know what was happening to me. It took half a year for the doctors to test me for Lyme disease. I kept coming back saying I was weak, dizzy, and unable to function normally. Eventually, I ended up in the hospital, underwent a lumbar puncture, and was diagnosed with neuroborreliosis. I was treated with antibiotic infusions. After the treatment, hell began. I experienced unimaginable burning sensations of the skin and severe electric tingling all over my body – in my limbs, torso, and face.
These sensations can be compared to great pain and don't even allow me to sleep. I was also experiencing extreme fatigue, dizziness, joint and muscle pain, arrhythmia, tremors, and nausea. The doctors had no idea what to do, and it's been like that to this day. I've seen almost every specialist, tried a combination of antibiotics for several months at a private doctor, various supplements, and alternative methods. Nothing helped. I have exhausted all my options and savings. My condition is getting significantly worse. I live mostly in bed, my legs are getting weaker and I feel very uncertain when I walk. Out of despair and unbearable suffering, I began to think that I could no longer live in this condition. But hope has recently come. I learned about the possibility of treatment at the specialized clinic Alpstein in Switzerland.
After sending my medical reports, I had an online consultation with the head physician, who finally explained to me what was happening. He said that one of the main causes could be the repeated administration of the contrast agent gadolinium during examinations, of which I had more than ten. This substance can remain in the body and gradually cause damage – mainly to nerve cells, and significantly weakens my immune system, which is unable to defend itself against inflammation, long-term neurological and immune problems after having borreliosis. I can only hope that one day I will be able to reduce or even stop taking the corticosteroids I take. After all these years, it is literally a miracle and a real hope for me. Unfortunately, there is no such specialized treatment in the Czech Republic, and the closest option is this clinic in Switzerland. But the treatment is extremely expensive and the insurance company does not cover it.
This is my last chance. Therefore, I ask for your help. Let me, with your help, return to a normal life, where I will see my daughter grow up and bring laughter and joy back to our home, because they moved away from us a long time ago. My daughter and I have a wonderful relationship and she only makes me happy. She is my whole world and still needs me. It is very painful when she often asks me: “Mommy, how are you today?” and then says: “Mommy, I love you very much.” For every mother, these are the most beautiful words, although in my case they are words associated with incredible pain. Every day is a struggle for me – sometimes just to make it through another hour. I am running out of strength and faith that I will ever recover. My daughter and I used to ride bikes, scooters, go on trips and spend time outdoors together. Today, I just lie down most days. My world has shrunk to a bed and pain. What hurts me the most is how it has affected my daughter. Instead of a carefree childhood and adolescence, she has to deal with things that no child should have to deal with, and she is often left alone for everything. I have always tried to help anyone who needed advice or support.
I have shared my experiences and have always helped because I know what it is like to be helpless and seek help. Due to my health condition, I can no longer work and live only on a disability pension, which unfortunately is far from enough for such expensive treatment. I believe that specialized treatment in Switzerland could significantly alleviate my difficulties and improve my quality of life. With the treatment I'll have a chance to live again.
What specifically will the money from this collection be used for?
The money will go primarily to the start of treatment at the Alpstein clinic, or another suitable workplace, including all related costs for the patient and their companions. If the collected amount is not enough to start treatment, funds will be used to cover the basic steps related to the preparation of the treatment, or other costs related to the health condition.
This is a targeted treatment that focuses on removing heavy metals from the body, supporting immunity, treating chronic infections and at the same time reducing inflammation associated with Takayasu vasculitis. The clinic will conduct examinations, tests and subsequent individual treatment.
The preliminary budget for a weekly treatment program is 26,000 – 28,000 CHF (690,000 –740,000 CZK) (33,000.00 – 36,000.00 USD), including laboratory tests and home medications. According to the doctor, it will be necessary to undergo several weeks of treatment to achieve the expected effect. The target amount will cover approximately 6 weeks of treatment, possibly less weeks of treatment and some related expenses.
If more funds are raised, the money will be used for further supportive therapy in the hope of improving my health.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my story, thank you for sharing and for even the smallest amount. Every contribution you make, even the smallest, is a huge help to my recovery.
