As many of you know, Annalisa and two of her children have been diagnosed with a complex and severe genetic immune disorder. They also have additional neurological conditions. We are exploring all options and hoping to avoid neurosurgery.

One of their diagnoses is Mast Cell Disease, which causes their bodies to react to nearly everything as if it were an allergy, even our home. It's a debilitating condition, and combined with their other health issues, our Texas doctors have struggled to find an effective treatment. One of our daughters also has Mast Cell Disease, so we hope the treatment being proposed for Annalisa will also benefit her.

Our doctors in Texas have been unable to find a treatment because every time we try something new, their immune disease prevents them from tolerating the medications or interventions.

Three years ago, our neurologist referred Annalisa to a specialist in New York, who discovered several additional complications. The specialist found severe infections that are worsening Annalisa's condition and recommended a treatment, originally developed for cancer patients, but safer for her. Annalisa has responded well to the first dose but will need a minimum of 9 doses a year. Recently, the specialist identified a structural issue at the base of Annalisa’s skull, leading to referrals to neurosurgeons. This New York Specialist has been a great help, and we believe she will find the answers to stabilize Annalisa and help her go into remission.

Over the past year, Annalisa has had episodes where her airway muscles freeze, making it hard to breathe or speak. The specialist believes Mast Cell Disease weakens connective tissue, causing the bone misalignment at the base of her skull and pressure on the brainstem and cranial nerves, which also explains her fainting and low brain oxygen levels.

To get a special type of MRI and possible treatment as with almost all of our medical expenses, we will need to pay out-of-pocket. On top of this, her doctors believe our previous home, the pollution in the suburbs, and mold toxins are contributing to their physical decline. We sold our home, lost almost all of our possessions, and are now trying to plan how to build a new, allergy-free home.

Despite our efforts to use multiple insurance programs, almost all of our medical bills are still not covered. After 12 years of searching for answers and 3 years of stabilizing Annalisa to prepare her for aggressive treatment, it's time to move forward with our plan. We’ve exhausted our finances and have handled most of this on our own.

With humble hearts, we turn to our loving community and ask for support, trusting that the hands and feet of Christ will care for our needs, just as the early church took care of “every need.”

We are deeply grateful for any support you can offer. Thank you for standing with us during this challenging time.

If you would like more details on our unique situation or on what tangible ways you can help the Jasper family you can contact our friend, Heather (heather.rahbany@gmail.com).

If you have a similar story, Annalisa is in the process of setting up a blog to help other families.

www.annalisajasper.com 

INSTAGRAM: AnnalisaJasper