I'm Lindsey and I was a volunteer firefighter for 9 years. I loved being able to be there for those in my community and those passing through on what was usually one of the worst days of their lives. I truly loved helping people when they needed it most. I was 29, I'm now 37 when I got hurt for the second time fighting a fire. I had only been back for 6 months or so from a previous injury where I had gotten hurt fighting a car fire and had to have two right shoulder surgeries and wrist surgery. The last fire call I ever went on was when I was injured fighting a grass fire when I jumped out of a 5-ton brush truck to grab the attack line to fight a flank of the fire that was pushing towards a farm stead. I had to have back surgery which was called a laminectomy between L4 and S1. Unfortunately during that surgery, it caused a rare, incurable pain conditing that is the most painful disease known to man called reflex sympathetic dystrophy also known as RSD. I'm now disabled because of this as I am in constant pain. It originally started in my left leg but has now spread to both legs, my back and my right arm. My doctors believe it will eventually take over my entire body. I take 17 medications daily to treat my RSD and have to use fentanyl and morphine to try and control the pain which some days that isn't enough and I have to go to the ER to get additional treatment. RSD had taken over my life and I now spend 99% of my time at home either in bed because I hurt so bad I can't move or putting around the house trying to find some sort of purpose. After all, the life I once knew is gone and now I struggle. I feel like I have nothing to offer the world like I once did. I worked and saved since I was 14 and I spent everything I had ever saved on medical bills because there is no cure I will have a lifetime of medical bills as I continue to receive medical treatment for this condition as it takes over my entire body.
In August of 2022, I was also diagnosed with a rare tumor in my right knee after biopsies were done during a knee scope. I was diagnosed with a diffuse tenosynovial giant cell tumor. There is no cure for this type of tumor and the treatment options are limited as it is so rare. The options are either medication that hopefully stops the tumor from growing. A radical knee surgery where they cut a 10-inch or larger incision in the front and back of my knee and scrape everything in my knee and I mean everything to try and get as much tumor as possible. As it's impossible to get it all and the regrowth rate is over 70%. So surgery is not a good option especially since I have RSD from getting hurt as a firefighter and it could cause the RSD to get worse in that leg. There is also radiation but that can cause issues in the joint and increased pain and is not a guarantee that it would kill all the tumor or stop it from coming back. Lastly, if the other options don't work they would have to amputate my leg below the hip to stop the tumor from eating away healthy bone. I have been seeing an oncologist 2.5 hours away at the University of Kansas cancer center. My oncologist and I have decided to try medication first. This medication, however, can cause liver failure so I have to have labs done constantly to check to make sure that isn't happening as there are only 2 medications that can be used for this type of tumor. I will have to have medical treatment regularly for the rest of my life because of this tumor, unless it, unfortunately, gets to the point where they would have to amputate my leg.
So having not one, but two incurable conditions that need constant medical treatment I have had to swallow my pride and ask for help. Which is hard when I used to be the one that would come when help was needed. I want to thank you for your time and I greatly appreciate any donations big or small as anything helps. If you can't donate you can still help by simply sharing my campaign link.