Keshia’s Recovery Fund

Early early hours of Tuesday morning, the 19th of march, my life was shattered. I suddenly got a sharp pain in my head while I was sleeping at about 12 am. I had been recently diagnosed the Friday before with fibromyalgia as I had been in severe pain on my left side for 3 weeks already. Pain that felt as if I was being burnt by steam or standing on hot coals. As a result of the pain I was prescribed very strong painkillers and there soon as my head began to be so sore I took the pain killers. But they didn't even take the edge off. About 20 minutes later I took another painkiller .... nothing.

I needed the toilet so I tried to stand up but I couldn't move. My whole left hand side was heavy and I was unable to lift it.I stood up with the help of my boyfriend but my left leg collapsed underneath me and I ended up on the floor because I could not hold my weight. That's when I realised something was very very wrong. I asked him to Google Fibromyalgia numbness and weaknesses to see if it was possible to get weakness after suffering from this neuropathic pain I had during my fibromyalgia flare the last 3 weeks. I had had a very busy schedule before this I had spent the Saturday looking after my nephew after I ran 2 hours of puppy classes, while my dog went nuts. I was there trying to control my dog around the child by myself. I had spent the Sunday at clients doing animal behaviour work,

I spent the Monday at work and I left work early because I was in so much pain but I'd still gone to one of my other jobs which was working at a dog training class in the evening and I still trained dogs that evening in class. I did quite a substantial bit of driving in the time too. when I got home on the Monday I had so much pain from my fibromyalgia and I was sure it was stress induced as the doctor had told me fibromyalgia flare ups are. on Google search Martin found that what was happening to me often did happen to fibro sufferers but then many got the feeling back within half an hour. after half an hour I still could not move a muscle and I begin to panic and I asked Martin to rush me to the hospital.

At the hospital doctor suspected a stroke but they were not sure because of my age and my health has always been brilliant no high blood pressure, thyroid issues, no nothing. So they sent me for a CAT scan. The CAT scan revealed a bleed on the brain. Still the doctors were confused because I had some exaggerated responses where the average stroke patient would have none. Even though I have no feeling I had reflex responses that were very strong. I was also still having the neuropathic pain which was unexpected. They ordered an iodine version of the CAT scan. What they found on that CAT scan has changed my life forever. They found a large tumor the bleed and the stroke had occurred inside the tumor. I was ordered for an MRI the next day. on the MRI the next day they got a very good look at the tumor inside my brain.

The borders were rough and flaring out doctors feared the worst because of how it looked but could not just start treatment they had to do a biopsy to find out what they were dealing with before we could start fighting it. On the 22nd of march I went for a brain biopsy. Then I waited and waited and waited for results. On the 28th of march I got the fateful news. The biopsy showed that I was suffering from stage 4 cancer an extremely rare glioblastoma very deep in the brain. The tumor touching many important parts of the brain including the cerebellum, the, hindbrain and so on. The tumor is inoperable. my only choices for treatment would be to start chemo and radio therapy as soon as possible. the chemo and radio would only have 10 to 20% chance of reducing the size of the tumor and even less chance of eradicating out altogether. even if they could shrink the tumor they still could not operate because of the highly dangerous location of this tumor.

Additionally the tumor was proliferating at a rate of 50 to 60% meaning that it was extremely aggressive and growing quickly. because it was eating my brain so fast there is an increased risk of more aneurysms or strokes so my physical disabilities could worsen. I am currently paralyzed on my left hand side with only minimal movement. I am having physical and occupational Therapy everyday to regain any movement I can.

I will be going to rehab facility for my physical ailments due to the stroke and I will be starting 30 days of radiotherapy and several months of chemotherapy in the next two weeks. As a result of my health issues I am struggling to run my business I am unable to work I cannot do anything I used to do I can't even go to the toilet by myself I can't even wash my own hands. Just two weeks ago I was the busiest and most energetic person you might have ever met in your life. I worked a full-time job in a global role, facilitated training at work, I worked at several dog classes and puppy classes, and I did private consultations for people with animal behaviour problems and training needs. I also ran my own puppy classes on a Saturday and I was just about to start running adult training classes on Thursday evenings. To say that this tumor and this event have disrupted my life is the understatement of the Century.

so why am I starting a go fund me? Because I have a huge amount of medical expenses a lot of which is being paid by medical aid right now but I don't know if all will be approved and I'm still going through the motions I am still in hospital I will still need to be in care for quite a while because I cannot care for myself. Once out of hospital I may need to hire a carer. I need mobility equipment to help me to function to any close level what I did before for example commode, shower chair, wheelchair, walking frame, walking sticks etc. I also need orthotic devices to help my learning to walk because my legs keep bottling under me due to the state of my muscles after the stroke. I have no strength in my left arm which means a lot of things in my house need to be modified to be able to prop me up without me needing to bear weight on my left side. At home many renovations will to be done because my house is not accessible friendly I wouldn't even be able to get into my house right now I would not be able to bath because the shower is over the bath and there's no way I could get in out even with help. The toilet would be way too low for me too. The doorways are too narrow for a wheelchair. I want to have quality of life. I'm still so young, only 33. what will happen to my lifestyle. I was always so busy before I had so many jobs most of my work required a lot of physical energy which I no longer have and I am worried about what will happen to me without being able to do these things I used to for work.

Many people have asked me how they can help me during this time and to be honest there's nothing anyone can do to make it better I'm severely ill. but a small donations may add up and help me to get something that can really help me or change my life. Right now my life is in tatters help me put it back together.