Gwendolynne F.

Pennsylvania

Birth Date - April 02, 1999

Main Diagnosis -  Connective Tissue Disorder

THEME:   Bears at Work

Gwendolynne 's Story

The first signs we noticed that Gwen had any kind of challenges, was when she was a baby and would randomly start gasping for air. The doctors had no explanation for it other than enlarged tonsils. Then when she was only a few months old she came down with RSV and was admitted to the hospital. She had trouble getting over the illness and looking back now we know it was due to a challenged immune system.

As she got older, she went from a very active happy girl to having episodes of extreme pain, lethargy, unexplained bruising, rashes, fevers and not being able to move due to extreme pain. We continually took her to the doctors where we were told she was making it up and it was some kind of virus. Finally, when she was 9 years old, I carried her to the doctor yet again and begged the doctor to consider all of the issues. She was sent for detailed blood work which finally showed us that she had some type of autoimmune disease. We were immediately referred to a specialist.

For the next 5 years Gwen has been in and out of the hospital, including one stay in the ICU. She's had countless IV's and medications. Currently she has monthly IV's at Penn State Hershey Hospital and is on many daily medications. During her flares she is confined to a wheel chair, or if it's not a bad flare she will use she walker. She has been diagnosed with Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disorder and Anklyosing Spondyloarthropathy. She also has symptoms of Lupus and vasculitis.

Gwen want's to go do things with her friends like any other 14 year old girl but many times she has to stay home. She has a low immune system so if any of her friends are sick she has to stay away from them. She also will set off a flare if she is stressed, too active, or if the weather is changing just to name a few. So if her friends want to do anything that might cause a flare she has to decline invitations for her to join them. She has spent months in bed and confined to her wheel chair.

My prayer is that she will go into remission or a medicine will be discovered to stop this disease from hurting her.

Squares donated by "Operation Teddy Bear"