This 28-Year-Old Woman Was Diagnosed With The Extremely Rare Suicide Disease
Laura, who is only twenty-eight years old, dreamt of being a wife and a mom one day. Then, she woke up on January 12th, 2021, and her life changed forever.
She was diagnosed with Trigeminal Neuralgia, also known as “suicide disease.”
“It all started with a tingling pain in my lip, to endless doctors trips, emergency visits, MRI scans, and more and more tests. Oh, and the pain! The most agonizing pain I had ever experienced,” Laura wrote on her GoFundMe campaign organized by Troy Cruz.
Trigeminal Neuralgia is common in people over fifty. But, to have it at the young age of twenty-eight is extremely rare. Laura’s life has since become defined by the incurable disease.
“I can’t brush my hair or teeth, eat, sleep, stand in the wind, or touch my face without feeling the intense pain of being electrocuted across my face,” Laura wrote.
“The severe burning lingers after the attacks and is enough to take your breath away. The flare-ups leave you scared to be in your own mind– the pain simply driving you to insanity and wishing for an eject button.”
While the disease is incurable, Laura did begin taking medications to lessen her symptoms.
But, it had an adverse effect. She suffered from even more side effects– including memory loss, double vision, shaky hands, and organ trouble.
GoFundMe; pictured above is Laura
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“Why me? It’s the question everyone asks when they get sick. Why did I have to be rare?” Laura explained, “Ten years ago, I contracted glandular fever, spent many nights in the hospital, and had a long recovery process. Little did I know that it would be the starting point of my battle with my health.”
Glandular fever battered Laura’s immune system and, now three years later, has resulted in this disease.
Laura visited a neurosurgeon to assess her future outlook. After looking over her MRI scans, the doctor wanted to perform a major operation known as microvascular decompression.
It would be a very invasive operation to relieve nerve pressure. While there is a very long recovery process in intensive care, many patients do wake up and find immediate pain relief.
“It is the only procedure offered that gives long-term relief. There is no cure for TN, but this could give me precious time to enjoy my life with my family in the hope that a cure can be found,” Laura explained.
Unfortunately, though, the waitlist is twelve to eighteen months.
This timeline also does not include the risk of a surgery cancellation if ICU beds become unavailable. Laura cannot continue living this way and was left with no choice but to seek private treatment.
“So this is where I am asking for your help to raise a portion of the eighteen thousand pounds towards my surgery,” Laura wrote, “I never thought that I would now be faced with a major surgery to try and give me ten years of no pain to allow me to have a family. I never thought I’d have to ask people for help. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my story.”
Laura’s GoFundMe has already surpassed its goal of six thousand pounds. Over two hundred people have donated, amounting to just over eight thousand pounds for Laura’s treatment.
“Hi Laura, so sorry to hear what you are going through– it must be terrible. Hoping you find strength with each new day. Sending lots of love from Australia,” wrote Tammi Burke, who donated ten pounds.
“Wishing you continued strength and determination, Laura. You will get there. Sincerely, your fellow TN warrior,” wrote Catherine Fuller, who also donated ten pounds.
To stay updated with Laura’s journey or donate to her cause, you can visit her GoFundMe link here.
“I am so totally overwhelmed and humbled by everyone’s support,” Laura wrote in her latest update, “I cannot express how strong it has made me feel to be surrounded by such incredible people.”
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