Guest Blog Post – Allie’s Story (by mom Kristen)
Allie was diagnosed with severe silent reflux at 9 months old. She underwent a Nissen fundoplication surgery and a feeding tube was placed. Soon after surgery, Allie started to have more stomach problems and was always in pain. She was back in the hospital all the time undergoing more testing.
They sent us out of state to see specialty doctors since she was so complicated. Allie was diagnosed with gastroparesis, small bowel dysmotility and gas bloat syndrome. She had to undergo another surgery to widen the opening of her stomach. She also had two more procedures to help her.
At that point, Allie was having a hard time regulating her body temperature and would always overheat and get dizzy. After more testing, she was diagnosed with autonomic dysfunction due to her vagus nerve being damaged. She was also diagnosed with celiac disease.
During her journey, Beads of Courage was alongside her, providing her with the hope and courage she needed. Allie is so proud of her beads!! Seeing her go through so much was tough, but to see how the beads brought her hope was wonderful. Allie always had something to look forward to and it always brought a smile to her face. Her sister Danni also received beads through the Beads of Courage Sibling Program.
Allie is now 12 years old and doing wonderfully! She is a high-level gymnast and has a heart of gold. She says, “I love my beads and I love that they tell my story.” She cherishes her beads and always will. Thank you, Beads of Courage!!
We pass along these words of gratitude to YOU, our generous donors and supporters. We can’t do what we do with you! Thank you for giving courageous little fighters like Allie a reason to smile as they undergo treatment for a serious illness.
When you donate to the Beads of Courage Holiday Fund, you say YES to HOPE for kids like Allie and more than 60,000 others we support with arts-in-medicine programs. Thank you for making a difference with your compassion and generosity today!