Hot Mess with M.S.
Welcome to my Hot Mess with M.S. Life!
They say you don't really know about MS until you KNOW about MS, am I right?? I've been married to my high school sweetheart since 1998 and spent much of my life as an athlete, active with 2 kids, youth coach, an ambitious entrepreneur and always on the go. MS altered me in what seemed like an instant when I was diagnosed with Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis in August 2021. I hung on to the grief of who I was for a bit longer than I should have and then eventually pulled myself out of the gallows and shifted into learning how to navigate this life with grace for myself, renewed faith and humor. I made a conscious choice to focus on what I have instead of allowing the diagnosis to steal my joy and living life. Make no mistake, there were and are days where I weep for what was and where my head may not leave the pillow but I start each day with gratitude even when the daily grind of pain and uncertainty looms.
Stem Cell Transplant Update
$18,746 Raised of $30k Goal!
WHAT?? Yep.. God is good and so are ALL of you!
When I embarked on this journey to get a stem cell transplant, I had no idea how much God would show up and show off.
The circumstances of the last few month plus are nothing short of remarkable and I KNOW I am on the right path. What started as heartbreak and a shift to accepting the reality that I'd have to go out of the country for treatment, quickly turned into an unbelievable miracle when even Dr. Burt's staff couldn't believe that insurance APPROVED my transplant without hesitation or appeals. BUT GOD... To receive the email approval that morning was a blur... the celebration that ensued still has me in awe. It "shouldn't" have happened, BUT GOD! There is no other way to explain how the creator of the universe has worked out every single detail . My out of pocket & Out of network cost as well as travel and accommodations will be close to $35-40k at this point because of the location in San Diego, one of the most expensive areas in the US, but insurance will also pay for some of the travel expenses up to $10k which is a blessing but there is still a gap and I know God will provide!
Phase 1 of chemo, injections and stem cell harvesting is done and my official transplant is January 21st,
I ll be receiving my stem cells and on the way to my miracle reset to beat this disease!
Thank you, Thank you! XO, Anna
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Email me at hotmesswithms@gmail.com
Chances are you've seen my video, social media posts or talked to my parents at church :). After lengthy research and prayer, I’ve decided to get (HSCT) a Non-Myeloablative Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant… a treatment that resets my immune system, could reverse the damage done by M.S and keep me drug free for a long time to come, possibly a lifetime. I don't take this decision lightly but the success rate of this particular stem cell transplant is 75-80% in stopping progression and even reversing symptoms in some cases... which is too promising for me to ignore.
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My journey with Multiple Sclerosis this last 4 years has been one of intense research, disease management, progression and heartache. I fight for every single day but there comes a time when the traditional approach isn't working and a risk is worth taking. My diagnosing Neurologist started me on Ocrevus infusions in 2021 which were supposed to be the most effective drug on the market for stopping progression. Unfortunately, I'm a small percentage of those patients that it doesn't work for and in the 3 1/2 years on it, I suffered tremendously with over a dozen UTI's in one year alone and various other infections and side effects. In that time, I've had multiple attacks and new lesions form in my cervical spine and brain and had to endure countless steroid infusions to stop the inflammation and damage, which if you know anything about IV steroids, they are just as brutal. Ultimately, I'm just not going to roll over and hope that I won't progress by taking a different disease modifying therapy with a lengthy list of side effects including liver, kidney or macular damage and even cancer, just to name a few.
The stem cell transplant procedure for auto-immune diseases was created by Dr. Richard Burt over 25 years ago and his dedication to the MS and other communities is nothing short of amazing. His patient centric approach has been demonstrated time and again with his research efforts, bedside attention and ongoing efforts to stop this disease in it's tracks. More information including medical journal papers, patient testimonials and more can be found on his website www.astemcelljourney.com.
While it may be a God send to me, it's not without it's risk... It’s intense (roughly a month in the hospital) and really expensive and unfortunately, health insurance can be a nightmare and will simply will not cover this treatment as of right now. Here in the U.S., it costs about $150,000 and while I realize it’s shocking, it’s less expensive than the last 4 years of my unsuccessful treatments to the tune of 1.5 Million Dollars! My preference is certainly to have it done here in the U.S. but in the event that I cannot raise that much, there are locations throughout the world that are more affordable. I hate asking for help but I simply do not have the resources to do this alone and I believe that God has brought me to this place to rely on the generosity of others in addition to my own efforts. Jesus says in Matthew 25:40, "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me".
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With all that said and in prayer and petition… I humbly ask for your help...
Rather than create a GoFundMe page which takes a percentage of donations, I am seeking donations and direct financial support from those willing and able to support my journey to healing including travel and treatment. I truly expect nothing but hope that this will come to fruition and pray that this will be a true restoration of my old self.
Donations can be made to any of my electronic payment platforms including Zelle, Venmo, Cashapp etc. If cash or check are more your speed, please contact me directly through my page or email HotMesswithMS@gmail.com. Funds will be kept at Eastman Credit Union until the time comes for the transplant. **Please know that if for some unforeseeable reason I am not able to move forward with the transplant, all donated funds will be returned to everyone accordingly.
Your prayer, support and sharing with others is appreciated beyond measure even if you're not able to provide a donation. God Bless.
Graciously,
Anna Bush | Hot Mess with M.S.
