Hannah's Medical Fundraiser

Goal:

 USD $30,000

Raised:

 USD $1,352

Campaign created by Joann Binford

Campaign funds will be received by Joann Binford

Hannah's Medical Fundraiser

Hannah has an aggressive degenerative condition that was discovered at age 13. Her condyles have been degenerating over the years causing severe pain and she now has an open bite making it difficult to eat and speak. I no longer have the health insurance plan that would have helped support the surgery she needs. She is now living in Colorado and the health insurance she has out there is not supporting the surgeries she needs. This is a medical explanation below.

#1. Modified condylotomy. A modified condylotomy is surgery that is performed on the lower jaw bone (the mandible), not the actual temporomandibular joint. This may occur in cases of damage to the mandible or some other condition that cannot be otherwise addressed without surgery. She has tissue that is being destroyed with time.

#2. orthognathic surgery, is surgery that helps align your upper jaw (maxilla) and lower jaw (mandible). If your jaws don’t line up, it can affect your bite and make it hard for you to eat and speak.

Orthognathic (“ortho g nathic”) surgery isn’t a single event. It’s a process that includes orthodontic treatment to prepare your teeth for your jaw surgery, the surgery itself, recovering from surgery and then more orthodontic treatment for up to a year after your surgery. All told, the jaw surgery process can take between two and three years.

She now has an open bite. It's when many teeth don’t come together when she closes her mouth. She was born with a clef palate but it is in the back of her throat, so it didn't come forward and split her mouth palate or lip. it just split her uvula and the muscle in the back of her throat.

Hannah began her medical journey with TMJ 12 years ago. She is currently in the process of splint therapy, taking medications, and receiving orthodontic care.  Her specialists recommend additional physical therapy and multiple surgeries leading up to Orthognathic surgery.  

Orthognathic surgery is a procedure insurance companies are hesitant to approve, even for medical necessity. In Hannah’s case, several specialists have advised this surgery as a medical necessity to help improve Hannah’s quality of life. Her TMJ is negatively impacting her functioning.

TMJ impacts eating, talking, increased dental and gum issues, muscle pain, constant migraines, ear pain, and often require food restrictions. TJM can cause deterioration of the joints (Condyles) which can change the bite and lead to jaw deformities.

All this medical care is very costly. Not all the treatments are covered by health insurance. For example, Splint therapy, orthodontics, and the many rounds of MRI scans needed to follow the development of treatment is not covered. These are just a few.

The specialist recommendations include surgery done on both the upper and lower jaw. Essentially what this surgery involves is correcting irregularities in jaw bones with precise cuts, and realigning the jaws and teeth to improve how they work together. Tiny plates, screws, and wires are set to secure the bones into their new position with the goal of minimizing jaw pain and increasing functionality.

Recovery from surgery also has its cost. There will be a required hospital stay to monitor post-surgery, several post-op appointments, and 6 weeks to recover. Hannah will use short term disability for time off work.

Hannah, "TMJ isn’t easily visible to the outside eye. It’s a disorder that involves a lot of advocating. The pain associated with TMJ is less obvious to the outside eye, but the pain is very real. The medical process takes years of doctor’s visits and procedures just to get to the solution we have reached in my case."      

Hannah, "Your support is greatly appreciated."

Hannah is a graduate of DU University where she received her master’s degree in forensic psychology. She currently is working in therapy where she needs 2000 hours to receive her license. As a therapist the functionality of her speech is greatly impacted by her medical condition.

Thank you for taking the time to review this fundraiser.  Please share with family and friends. 




Recent Donations
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Anonymous Giver
$ 10.00 USD
29 days ago

Anonymous Giver
$ 10.00 USD
1 month ago

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$ 10.00 USD
2 months ago

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$ 10.00 USD
3 months ago

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$ 10.00 USD
4 months ago

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$ 10.00 USD
5 months ago

Anonymous Giver
$ 10.00 USD
6 months ago

Theresa and Sam Sparks
$ 25.00 USD
7 months ago

Our best wishes to Hannah for a succesful surgery and fast recovery.

Anonymous Giver
$ 10.00 USD
7 months ago

Anonymous Giver
$ 10.00 USD
8 months ago

Anonymous Giver
$ 15.00 USD
1 year ago

<3

Alexander Ubbink
$ 25.00 USD
1 year ago

Eddie
$ 25.00 USD
1 year ago

Tyler Bugas
$ 100.00 USD
1 year ago

Hi Wow I use to work with Hannah. I am so sorry to hear about this. I hope she gets the surgery she needs. Please let her know I hope she gets better. Thank you!

John Angela Pate
$ 100.00 USD
1 year ago

Hannah we see you restored to perfect health

Carol Maxwell
$ 100.00 USD
1 year ago

Anonymous Giver
$ 50.00 USD
1 year ago

Mike Suominen
$ 100.00 USD
1 year ago

Anonymous Giver
$ 100.00 USD
1 year ago

Hope you get better ❤️

Response from Campaign Owner:

"Thank you for your gracious support. This lifelong challenge has finally brought us to the realization that we need to ask for help. Thank you." By Joann Binford

Tara Allsopp
$ 25.00 USD
1 year ago

I hope you reach your goal quickly! Our prayers will be with you on your journey!

Response from Campaign Owner:

"Hannah has begun the process. This will take about three years. She is now in braces to position her teeth where needed for surgery." By Joann Binford

Updates

Update #9 December 15, 2024

December 16th, 2024

This is Hannah’s surgery update.

Her surgery took place on October 15th. I flew to Colorado from Florida on October 7th to be early and available for the early prep appointments and routine preparations. I returned to Florida on November 21st.

The surgery went well. However, Hannah is experiencing issues with her Gallbladder. These complications can sometimes arrive when patients undergo fasting due to surgery and the change in diet to all liquids. The Gallbladder doesn’t function enough to empty itself out.

Hannah has been dealing with complications due to the detected sludge in her Gallbladder. She has had two emergency trips to the emergency room. Her first doctor office visit ruled it as acid reflux, then she had an emergency room visit and the ultra sound revealed the sludge in her gallbladder. They sent her home with Pepcid.

Unfortunately, the medical process is to go through several processes to rule all else out. I am not with her in Colorado. I am starting to feel very concerned about this process. I had my own gallbladder removed three years ago. I kept getting put off by the doctors until I went to see a specialist that deals with gallbladders.

The Ultrasound first revealed 4-5 gallstones. The pain I was feeling was intense. My Gallbladder specialist recommended surgery. I had the surgery and healed well from it. My surgeon documents I had 17 gallstones in my gallbladder.

I am concerned if my daughter doesn’t get proper care she will worsen. She has an HMO plan. I was lucky to have a PPO plan. I was able to bypass all the steps these doctors are putting her through. I feel like they are waiting for it to get to the point of it reaching the dangerous point of either sepsis or bursting.

Anyway, She is dealing with a lot right now. She has just returned to work from being and using every bit of her medical paid leave. She has no more sick days. Her doctor bills are starting to pile up.

Please keep sending her your prayers. Times are hard for all of us in this world. Prayers are needed. Only make a small contribution if you are fortunate enough to do so without sacrificing your own budget or that of someone else in more need.


Update Update #9 December 15, 2024 Image
October 12, 2024 Update #8

October 13th, 2024

Aloha everyone,

I am currently in Colorado to help support Hannah during her recovery.  Her scheduled surgery is for October 15th.   She is feeling very excited and very nervous about the surgery and recovery.  

I will be here for an undetermined amount of time. I have not scheduled a flight home yet.  Upon my arrival day Hannah had two doctor appointments scheduled and then her I-phone needed to be replaced as it was malfunctioning.   That added so much stress because she still had two days of work and many of her work notes are on the phone. 

The following day, I drove Hannah to work and then took her car to a "reliable junk car buyer" to see if he would buy her car as we were sending her my car for safety and reliability.  The place I took it too tried to destroy the car and engine.   They took it for a test drive, and silly me I trusted they were honest, so I let him take it for a test drive and he ended up taking it out of site.   When he came back the car was literally overheating, and the inside cabin of the care was smoking.  This little old 2004 malibu never did that in all the years my daughter had been driving it.    Then I told them I can't just leave the lot because I need to let it cool down and they told me the coolant was low.   I am not a car person, so I said we keep coolant in the car to refill it as it is needed but it never has done what just happened.  I was furious!  What did he do to the car to make it do that?   Then they raised the hood on the car and opened the cap on the coolant.   OH MY!!  Very Hot coolant started shooting out and all over the engine.   I was like this is all we have!!!  Are you trying to destroy my car?!!!

Needless to say, I was frantic.  Hannah asked me to take the car to her mechanic and make sure the engine was okay, and we could still drive it.   The news was good.  Looks like the person that took the car for a ride somehow put oil over an area in the car to make it smoke like it did and luckily there seemed to be no engine or damage to anything else from the boiling coolant.   Of course, my search for a buyer ended up costing me close to 250.00 for the diagnostic. 

Good news the car is running fine, and we will be ready for the drive to the hospital on October 15th.  The visit has settled down and now we can return to the regular stress of dealing with the surgery and recovery then the medical bills.  

Thank you to everyone for your prayers and your donations.  Please keep praying for Hannah as she will be dealing with a lot of pain when she comes home from the hospital.  Some have asked if she will stay overnight in the hospital.  Yes, she will be staying overnight, and I will be by her side, sleeping in her room in the hospital.

I will keep you all updated with recovery information.  I will not ask for any donations at this time.  There are too many lives that need your donations that have lost everything to the hurricanes.   

Thank you so much for the support you have given us and the prayers you have shared.  I will ask you to please continue to include Hannah in your prayers.  The healing process will be difficult for at least the first month. 

 With love and appreciation for all your kindness and support. 

Joann Binford

Please visit my channel @ Binford Chronicles (Rumble, X, Spotify, Truth Social)




Update October 12, 2024 Update #8 Image
Update #7 Sept. 5th, 2024

September 5th, 2024

GREAT NEWS!!!

We have received news today that Hannah is scheduled for surgery on October 15th. I will be driving to Colorado from Florida the week of October 7th. This Friday (September 6th) she is scheduled to meet with her surgeons to start preparation for her surgery. They will be taking many measurements for the hardware she will need for the healing process after her surgery.

The news comes with great joy. This has been a long and arduous process. There have been many emotional peeks and lows. Hannah has been living with this pain and discomfort for 14 years. This is a very evasive surgery and not one that is taken lightly.

Hannah decided to have the surgery because all the remedies to treat her condition have failed. Her condition is affecting her quality of life. I pray that this will alleviate her pain, if not all, then most of it so she may lead a more fulfilling life to enjoy her meals without pain and discomfort, as well as being able to enjoy a sound night's sleep. These improvements will improve her quality of life.

All your support and prayers have been answered. Now I ask that you pray for her surgery to be a success and for her healing.

After surgery She will not be able to eat solid foods for 1-3 weeks. Hannah will undergo physical therapy to strengthen her jaw for normal function. This will be a difficult time of healing. The healing process will be long and arduous. I will be with her in Colorado during this time until she is well enough to manage her care on her own.

Thank you for your love, prayers, and support.

Joann Binford

Update Update #7 Sept. 5th, 2024 Image
Update #6 We are closer to the finish line

August 23rd, 2024

8/22/24 Hannah has reached the final stage just before surgery.   At this point we are waiting for insurance to approve the surgery so we can get an estimate on what we will need to bring to the table financially on the day of the surgery.

The surgery date can not be set until we have heard back from the insurance company.   Hannah was assigned an insurance case worker that was working diligently on her medical case with insurance.  This week Hannah's assigned insurance case worker had to remove herself from the case due to a family emergency and is not expected to return.   Hannah at this point does not know who will be handling her paperwork.   

This change in assignment has us uneasy as we have just a few months before the year ends.   Please pray her case is reconciled soon and she is approved and able to schedule her surgery by September or October the latest.  

Thank your for all your support.  This has been a very stressful journey for Hannah.   She is in a great deal of pain everyday.   

Thank you again for your prayers and support.

Joann Binford for Hannah Binford.



Update Update #6 We are closer to the finish line Image
Update #5

May 14th, 2024

Hannah had a follow up appointment with her doctor on May 13th.  The procedure she had on May 7th was an MRI and an arthroscopy.  

The news I received is that the healing process of cleaning out her condyles is progressing well.   It is important that the healing process show not signs of infection.   I explained earlier that the arthroscopy uses a camera.  What I misunderstood was that the MRI was the procedure they were using to see the damage and what is actually goin on with her condyles.   

The MRI confirmed that her condyles are not in place and the deterioration is due to this factor.   There was a little bit of relief to Hannah's jaw pain after the cleaning out of her condyles but that is normal.  The relief that is offered from the arthroscopy is and has been short lived.    This is not a fix.

She will have another appointment to visit with the doctor to evaluate the healing process.  Her next appointment is set four weeks from May 13th.   

Please share and if possible make a small contribution.    

Update Update #5 Image
Update #4

May 8th, 2024

May 7, 2024

Today Hannah underwent a procedure to assess the condition of her condyles.   This surgery is called an arthroscopy.   Hannah has had many arthroscopies done in the past to clean out the bone fragments and blood sacks that formulate from the deterioration that is in progress.   Today the surgery was slightly different.   Today they inserted a camera scope to get a full evaluation.   Hannah for the first time was completely sedated.  

I was able to facetime with her today.  Her face was very swollen from the surgery and her nose was very sore from the breathing tube.   We should have an update in about 7-10 days.    We expect surgery will take place in the month of July or August.

Thank you for all your support and prayer.   Please remember to share with Family and Friends.   Any small donation or prayer is greatly appreciated.  


Hannah's Journey and final Phase of preparation before Surgery.

February 19th, 2024

Before we begin this update.   Thank you to all that have contributed to "Hannahs_Operation".   Our closest friends and compassionate supporters have made contributions towards the massive expense Hannah will face for her surgery which will improve her quality of life.

Today was a hard day for us both.   For me as a mother feeling helpless, and for Hannah as the patient suffering each day with pain, discomfort and fatigue only to realize the insurance company has delayed her services once again.

During this process, Hannah has had to change insurance companies more than once.   Hannah is currently using Kaiser Insurance.  Hannahs appointment for today has not been authorized by Kaiser even though her specialist is an in-network doctor.   Kaiser stated that because his office is not located on the same facilities as Kaiser, the approval process for a referral takes much longer.  I am baffled as much as you are.    

Hannah's appointment will have to be rescheduled.  This was a very frustrating day.   Hannah is experiencing pain and fatigue from sleepless nights.  Hannah on some occasion like yesterday, is in so much pain that the choice to eat a healthy mean was replaced by nibbling on a couple of slices of ham because the pain of chewing is so great.

The next phases will include a consultation with the specialist to see if she is ready for an MRI.  Once the MRI is done, she goes back for a consultation to discuss the MRI finding and if all is well, they will most likely schedule an orthoscopy to clean out the fragments in her condyles and let them heal before the actual surgery.   This is a rough description of what is to be expected.  Things may change but that is to be determined. 

The frustration is that all this is still going to take more visits and follow ups before the final stage of surgery.  Any delay by the Insurance company is more time spent in pain, more days of difficulty eating, sleeping, talking, and loss of quality of life.  

Please pray for Hannah that her insurance company begins to respond and approve her referrals as needed. 

Please share with family and friends.   We appreciate prayers and if at all possible, a small donation of $25.00 to put towards her medical expenses.    

Thank you for visiting and supporting Hannahs operations.  

Joann Binford and Hannah Binford Appreciate you all.  

     

Hannah's Journey

October 26th, 2023

Hannah was 13 years old when she was diagnosed by a specialist with severe degeneration of the joints in her jaw, called Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJ), marking the starting point of this long and painful journey.

Essentially, this disorder negatively impacts Hannah's ability to eat certain foods or chew for prolonged amounts of time, wears down the muscles in her face and neck making speaking very painful, and causes trauma to her teeth which can lead to nerve pain, loss of teeth, and gum recession.

Hannah works as a mental health therapist.  These issues can greatly impact Hannah's ability to comfortably do her job helping others.  Hannah also suffers from a partial cleft pallet.  The roof of her mouth is not fully fused together.  This creates an open bite that doctors claim can only be corrected through surgery.  Her open bite is preventing previous work from lasting long-term.  This leads to daily pain and continuation of joint deterioration, worsening her symptoms with time. 

Throughout the 13 years since being diagnosed, Hannah has undergone several scans and procedures intended to assist in pain relief to avoid any high risk/invasive surgeries.  However, it has become clear that we need a more permanent intervention.  Hannah's quality of life is being negatively impacted. 

Over the past 13 years our out-of-pocket expenses for Hannah's care has surpassed 17k.  Her expenses include treatment, travel, meals, medical procedures, prescriptions, etc. 
Doctors are now recommending a more invasive surgery, called orthognathic Surgery.   This procedure involves surgically altering Hannah's bite to help minimize joint pain.  It involves making cuts in the bones and adding metal plates and screws to position her bite in the least painful position.   

Hannah's first procedure involves braces to shift her teeth in a way that creates a space to make those cuts in her jaw.  She was first in metal braces and now has transitioned to  invisalign braces.  

Hannah's surgery is going to run well over 30k and although this surgery is deemed medically necessary, insurance companies do not provide much financial support.  

We have created this Givesendgo page to help improve Hannah's quality of life.  Your contributions, prayers, and support would be greatly appreciated.  If we can raise 25.00 from 1200 donors we could reach our goal.  

Please consider helping us reach our goal so Hannah may receive the surgical help needed to improve her quality of life.  

Thank you

Joann Binford and Hannah Binford




Update Hannah's Journey Image
Update #1

July 11th, 2023

Hello everyone,

Thank You for all the prayers and contributions.  

Hannah is currently under the care of an orthodontist that specializes in the field of her medical care needed.   She is in currently fitted with Invisalign clear braces on the bottom teeth and braces on the top teeth.   

Hannah is no longer smiling with an open mouth.  Like many young adults her age she is not fond of her smile in braces.    The doctors expect the shift in her teeth to be evaluated in September for a second round fitting and adjustment of her braces.  This is to keep those teeth shifting until they reach the point of separation for the next major step in her care leading up to the surgery.  

Please keep sharing this givesendgo page.  We will need the support and prayers to help with this surgery.  Thank you so very much for your kindness and support.  

Please keep sharing with family and friends. 

Joann Binford

Update Update #1 Image

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