My daughter needs to self fund a very important operation in the USA to get her quality of life back.
Manawatu / Whanganui
Please help me support my daughter Hannah to get the help she desperately needs in order to get her life back. In the last couple of months her symptoms have increasingly got worse, to the point she is now – unable to function as a wife or mother without serious drugs. The pain level she is in is chronic and she is no longer the happy confident woman that she was. It is very hard to watch this transformation.
Three years ago, Hannah had a surgery that used a mesh implant for stress incontinence after childbirth (9lb babies!). She was told it was a safe procedure with about 2% complications – those complications being it wouldn’t work. No other surgery options were presented and it seemed like this was the only option for helping her leaking issues. And if it didn’t work, it could be removed. The surgeon also never used the word ‘mesh’. It was a sling/hammock. It is actually plastic. Polypropylene.
It worked well for 3 years…. But mesh isn’t inert. It shrinks, breaks up, is brittle, causes an autoimmune reaction in people. Causes constant UTI’s, nerve damage and can erode into the vagina, bladder and urethra causing chronic pain. It can happen immediately after implant, or 10 years later. The average time for complications to hit is 3 years. Hannah is nothing but punctual (she had it in 2015).
Sure enough, Hannah is experiencing the dire complications that come with this implant (as it turns out that 2% is more like 40%). More and more women are suffering which is causing more awareness worldwide about the horrific outcomes women are left with. No long term clinical trials have been done on this mesh and it’s increasingly obvious now how dangerous it is. The UK as of last week have banned the use of this mesh, and Ireland have followed suit. In the USA there are lawsuits of over 100,000 women suing the manufacturers of these devices.
The only treatment is full removal. Partial removal can cause more complications and issues as the mesh can then roam freely in the body and erode into other organs. Removal is not an easy operation. When mesh is inserted, the body creates scar tissue and fuses with the mesh. This makes it extremely difficult to remove completely. So difficult that only a handful of Dr’s in the world have been successful with full removal of Hannah’s type of implant. Unfortunately, none of these Dr’s are in New Zealand (or even Australia). There are only 2 highly skilled Dr’s that consistently have success with full complete removals for her type of mesh. While Hannah has fortunately been accepted as a patient from one of these surgeons, there is a significant financial cost for this procedure. Unfortunately, New Zealand’s health system and/or ACC do not cover such costs for overseas surgeries. Hence this page. While they are endeavouring to pay as much of this as they can, every little bit helps to relieve the financial stress this is placing on the family. The estimated total cost is $40,000 NZ.
Surgery is booked for 31 August and I will be accompanying her along with her husband (at my own expense). I can’t wait to have my Hannah back.
I am the mother of the beneficiary who is needing an operation done out of country and who is suffering with chronic pain.
Surgery Costs, Hospital Costs, Flights and Accommodation
Countdown begins 19 August 2018
In less than a week, we will be on our way to St Louis, Missouri, USA.
This has been an incredible journey ... humbling and encouraging. The words “thank you” don’t seem enough but they are said with sincerity from grateful and thankful hearts. Every dollar donated has meant less financial stress for the family. I have seen the load lift with every donation so thank you again.
I have created a Facebook group called Hannah’s Journey which I will use for updates, etc over the month we are away. Please feel free to follow us there.
This is the last post from the Givealittle site which closes on Saturday when we fly out.
Thank you so much
Thank you ❤️
Thank you very much
Thank you so much ❤️
Thank you ❤️
Your message will be displayed on the page and emailed to the donor.
Your new message will also be emailed to the donor.
Saving a blank entry will delete the current comment.