Lauren's MS Treatment - Reprogram Her Life 💜

Hi beautiful people! 👋

I need YOUR help and here's why 💜

My name is Lauren and when I was 22 my life came to a halt. I was always active adventurous and very energetic. Then I suddenly couldn't get out of bed. I was just so tired all the time and working 40+ hours in an office was just too much for me and I couldn't understand why. 😔

Then my arm would go numb and stay that way for hours even days. 💪 I spent 9 months in and out of hospital and doctors offices. I was told I was overweight and just needed to exercise and constantly doubted that my symptoms were even real.

Then in December 2015 I was told by the neurologist I had Multiple Sclerosis (MS). 🧠 I mean I had heard of it but didn't really know what it was or what it meant for my future. Here is what I now understand about MS:

- It is an autoimmune disease which basically stands for multiple scars. This is because my own immune system attacks the coating of my nerves causing them to misfire or stop working. 🛑 Every 6 weeks I got to the hospital for a few hours to have an infusion (called Tysabri) into my vein to try and stop it 💉🩺

- It HURTS! 🥺 I have nerve pain from head to toe and spasms from head to toe. To ease this I take atleast 30 TABLETS a DAY. 💊💊💊 Before this I struggled to take paracetamol 😆

- It is absolutely exhausting! It causes brain fog and me to have brain fog and arm/leg weakness. Naturally I over do it often by over working and looking after all my animals. I am a Veterinary Nurse which is a tough job for people that don't have a disability however it is my passion and I absolutely LOVE it. 🐶🐱🐭🐰🐦

Basically I have no energy to do anything but work however I am so lucky it is my passion. I would love to do volunteer work both in New Zealand and overseas but this is not manageable or practical. 🥱😴

I would also like to have some certainty in my future. With MS at any moment I can get new scars causing more symptoms including paralysis. It is a progressive disease so it will get worse which means I don't make plans too far into the future due to this. 🙏💭

With your help and the stem cell treatment (HSCT)

I can have more certainty,

I can stop my treatment and hopefully some if not all my medications,

I can travel and volunteer to better and save animal lives.

I CAN LIVE LIFE AGAIN! 🎉😊

Here are some links that explain more about MS and the HSCT treatment.

https://www.mssociety.org.uk/about-ms/treatments-and-therapies/disease-modifying-therapies/hsct

https://www.msnz.org.nz/about/

Thank You 💜