Mommy's New Legs' Wishes
Past Wishes
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Mommy needs new legs, but can't afford the gas to get them!
Here is a picture of my right leg; I have Lymphedema in both legs. It started to develop at age 12 & without treatment it has progressed to severe Stage II. I'm now disabled & homebound much of the time as this swelling has caused my legs to become huge & deformed, making walking difficult. I was born with an underdeveloped lymphatic system, so my body does not adequately get rid of the lymph fluid from my body. The fluid pools in my legs, causing them to swell (water pills or diuretics don't work to eliminate this fluid). After a long battle with Indian Health Services (IHS), I finally got them to understand my condition (not all doctors are knowledgeable about this) & agree to pay for the Manual Lymph Drainage therapy I need to get my legs in better shape. However, because I live on a remote Indian reservation, I have to travel 188 miles per day round trip to the nearest therapist. IHS will not assist with transportation, because I have a vehicle. This therapy has to be done daily for 2 to 4 weeks & then a couple times a week for 6 more weeks. Being on a limited income from Social Security Disability, it's really hard to afford the gas back & forth. I live with my sister who is a full-time college student & has no income. She does a lot for me & my 2 year old daughter right now, including driving me to my appointments. There is no way that I can stay in the town where my treatment is, as the expense of lodging & child care would be even more $$, plus my sister has night classes. It's a blessing to finally be able to have treatment, but at the same time this has added a lot of stress. I've almost completed 1 week of treatment, & I'm thrilled with the results so far, but I had to pay for 3 tanks of gas already. I need to wear compression wraps 23 hours per day, everyday to get the fluid out of my leg. The therapist is teaching me how to wrap them myself & teaching me the special massage to get my lymph system working better. There is no medication & no cure for this disease and I have to be able to care for myself for the long-term, so what I am learning is important. I look forward to the day when I am fully mobile again, so I can get back to work & be a healthier mobile mommy for my daughter. |
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More people to read, vote and comment on my first wish.
I'm new on this site, and not sure I'm doing everything correctly. I made my original wish, which so far has only had 12 views and no comments or votes. I have been viewing and voting for other people's wishes, and doing the polls too. I have 7 friends so far, which is cool...I'd like more of them too. I see that there are some needs more urgent than mine. I know that my need for gas money to get to my daily medical appointments may seem trivial to some, but it is important to my health and well-being so I will do whatever it takes, including making wishes on the internet. I never have been one to ask for help from others, so this is new to me. Being homebound I don't have a lot of people in my life anymore. |
