At Clean Earth, we are a family. And when one of our family is hurting, we all hurt. That is why we are sharing the story of Jisele and her recent diagnosis of MS. Jisele is facing extremely difficult circumstances right now and we are hoping to spread the word so those “angels” around the world can help her and her family.
Her story is below.
Life changes for my daughter, Jisele Lee Deering on July 13, 2013
THE IMPORTANCE OF EARLY TREATMENT If you are diagnosed with MS or a first-time MS event, you should consider talking about starting treatment as soon as possible with your healthcare team. Researchers have found that MS often causes more damage in the first year than in later years.
https://www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/help-jisele/78400
Thanks for the emails, texts, calls, etc. I have been a bit out of the LinkedIn loop lately, well perhaps out of the life, as I knew it loop. Usually I am someone who keeps my family business personal. After much thought I have decided to share some of what has been going on without going into all the specifics. On Saturday July 13, my daughter entered the emergency room (in TX) due to the loss of her ability to use her bladder as well as having pain in her back and tingling in her legs. After hours of tests, Jisele was told she would be paralyzed if surgery were not performed. An emergency surgery removed a herniated disc, which was impinging on her spinal cord where it exits the spine. Unfortunately, the next day not only did she still have all the issues she went in for (minus L5S1 disc) but other ailments started. One issue that is still most concerning is Jisele’s need for a resection of her colon and a rectopexy.
Around July 1, my back had decided to go out on me, which eventually caused the upper portion of my left leg to stop working and remain in constant pain. I could not sit or drive. I stayed in touch with the hospital in Texas day and night trying to decipher what the nurses were reporting to me of my daughter’s condition. They told me that my daughter had weak pulses in her feet and she needed five days of intravenous steroids. As soon as I was able to get myself to an orthopedic surgeon that could provide some pain medication (so I could sit on the plane) I headed to Texas to be with my daughter. I moved into Jisele’s hospital room on July 19 and what went on each hour of each day after that has been heart breaking for any parent to have to watch her child go through, no matter what age (Jisele is 31). It seemed my daughter continued to get worse even though she had a team of doctors which consisted of internal medicine, orthopedic back surgeon, neurosurgeons, gastrointestinal, Ear/Nose/Throat (for nodule they found on her thyroid) and a colon rectal surgeon. The diagnoses were still not confirmed but they were leaning toward Transverse Myelitis (TM) and unfortunately did not know how to treat it.
TM is a neurological condition consisting of an inflammatory process of the spinal cord. Symptoms include weakness and numbness of the limbs as well as motor, sensory, and sphincter deficits. The symptoms and signs depend upon the level of the spinal cord involved. In some cases, there is almost total paralysis and sensory loss below the level of the lesion. In other cases, such loss is only partial.
I found that there are only two surgeons in the country that specialize in TM and one was in Dallas, Dr. Greenberg. I contacted the hospital he practiced at and unfortunately, due to my daughter having no insurance the hospital refused her transfer there. However, Dr. Greenberg’s staff was so kind to me; returned my many calls, answered my questions and told us what things should be done, including a spinal tap, which would confirm TM or Multiple Sclerosis (MS). We fought for the spinal tap at our current hospital and although it was performed, we were discharged from the hospital before the results came back. Due to my daughter’s lack of insurance, she was sent home. They removed her pic line (for her drugs) and she was discharged in worse condition than when she went in, with a catheter still attached.
Anyway what I want to say at this time is that the results of the spinal tap show that my daughter, Jisele Lee Deering, mother of two children, her daughter 6 ½ and her son 4 ½ has been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Medicaid turned Jisele down and there is no way she can work in her field as a dental assistant (now).
We as a family are looking forward for the financial assistance to come so that we may get a second opinion form another neurosurgeon. We will find an organization, group, loop hole, whatever that provides financial assistance so we may move forward with Jisele in her healing.
There will be a benefit in the near future (September) in Texas but we know there are angels all over the world who would love to help our family out financially. Every amount makes a difference. Daycare alone is $289 a week for the two kids. Medications are so expensive! Please visit the link below to help in any way you can.
https://www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/help-jisele/78400
THE IMPORTANCE OF EARLY TREATMENT If you are diagnosed with MS or a first-time MS event, you should consider talking about starting treatment as soon as possible with your healthcare team. Researchers have found that MS often causes more damage in the first year than in later years.