DAO Commitment
Our goal is to create awareness of the sheer number of Hidden Illnesses affecting so many today. Due to the lack of understanding of Hidden Illnesses, patients are left either believing it’s all in their head or with handfuls of the wrong medications. With the help of reliable medical professionals and past success, stem cell treatment has the potential to provide much needed and overdue relief, often life changing results. However, to some, this treatment can be considered controversial and unfortunately is not easily attained as it is not FDA approved for Hidden Illnesses. Because of this set back, the cost of this procedure is out of reach for most. Dream, Adapt, Overcome Foundation’s aim is to help individuals with Hidden Illnesses make this dream of stem cell treatment a reality by assisting them raise funds by various means. This is done one patient at a time that is in our SPOTLIGHT – McKenna section. Please join our effort by clicking on DONATE at the top of the page. Thank you for making a difference in the life of someone suffering from Hidden Illness(es).
Hidden Illnesses
Grief
Those with a chronic hidden illness often feel a great loss. It is not uncommon to experience the 5 stages of grief; denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. They grieve for the life they once lived, for the life they must endure now and for the life they dreamed of having.
Dysautonomia is an incurable disorder caused by dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). There are around 15 types of Dysautonomia. The ANS is responsible for maintaining a constant internal temperature, regulating breathing patterns, keeping blood pressure steady, and moderating the heart rate.
Primary Dysautonomia is usually inherited or due to a degenerative disease, while secondary Dysautonomias result from another condition or injury.
The most common types are Neurocardiogenic Syncope, which leads to fainting affecting millions of people globally. There isn’t a single treatment that addresses all Dysautonomias.
Common symptoms include:
inability to stay upright, dizziness, vertigo, fainting, fast, slow, or irregular heartbeat, chest pain, low blood pressure, problems with the gastrointestinal system, nausea, disturbances in the visual field, weakness, breathing difficulties, mood swings, anxiety, fatigue and intolerance to exercise, migraines, tremors, disrupted sleep pattern, frequent urination, Temperature Regulation Problems, concentration and memory problems, poor appetite, overactive senses, especially when exposed to noise and light.
These can occur in a range of combinations, making Dysautonomia a difficult condition to diagnose.
Dysautonomia
Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS)
Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) is a group of inherited disorders that affect your connective tissues — primarily your skin, joints and blood vessel walls. Connective tissue is a complex mixture of proteins and other substances that provide strength and elasticity to the underlying structures in your body.
People who have Ehlers-Danlos syndrome usually have overly flexible joints and stretchy, fragile skin. This can become a problem if you have a wound that requires stitches, because the skin often isn’t strong enough to hold them.
A more severe form of the disorder, called Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, vascular type, can cause the walls of your blood vessels, intestines or uterus to rupture. Because Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, vascular type, can have serious potential complications in pregnancy, you may want to talk to a genetic counselor before starting a family.
Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) – Is defined as an abnormal increase in heart rate on becoming upright.
Gastroparesis is a condition in the stomach is paralyzed and does not move food or liquids through the digestive tract.
It can be caused by damage to the vagus nerve, which regulates the digestive system. A damaged vagus nerve prevents the muscles in the stomach and intestine from functioning, preventing food from moving through the digestive system properly. Often, the cause of Gastroparesis is unknown.
Gastroparesis
Mast Cell Activation Disorder (MCAD)
Mast Cell Activation Disorder (MCAD) is an immunological condition in which mast cells inappropriately and excessively release chemical mediators,
resulting in a range of chronic symptoms, sometimes including anaphylaxis or near-anaphylaxis attacks. Primary symptoms include cardiovascular, dermatological, gastrointestinal, neurological and respiratory problems. Often found in patients with Ehlers–Danlos syndrome (EDS) and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). It is also found in subset groups of patients with common variable immunodeficiency (CVID). Symptoms can be caused or worsened by triggers, which vary widely and are patient-specific.
Common symptoms include:
Dermatological
Flushing, hives, easy bruising, either a reddish or a pale complexion, itchiness, burning feeling, dermatographism
Cardiovascular
Lightheadedness, dizziness, pre-syncope, syncope, arrhythmia, tachycardia
Gastrointestinal
Diarrhea and/or constipation, cramping, intestinal discomfort, nausea, vomiting, swallowing difficulty, throat tightness
Psychological & Neurological
Brain fog, short term memory dysfunction, difficulty with recalling words headaches, migraines, co-morbid psychiatric and behavioral symptoms as a
result of mast cell mediators being released in the brain (i.e.: anxiety, depression, mood swings, etc.)
Respiratory
Congestion, coughing, wheezing, non-allergic rhinitis with eosinophilia syndrome (NARES), Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Vision/Eyes
Ocular discomfort, conjunctivitis, redness
Constitutional
General fatigue and malaise, food, drug, and chemical allergies or intolerances (especially fragrances), Cold and Heat Intolerance
Musculoskeletal
Osteoporosis and osteopenia (including young patients)
Common triggers include:
Specific foods and drinks (especially alcohol, high-histamine content foods, and histamine releasing additives such as sulfites)
Temperature extremes
Airborne smells including perfumes or smoke
Exercise or exertion
Emotional stress
Hormonal changes (particularly during adolescence, pregnancy and menstruation)
McKenna's Story
Although I may look healthy to just about anyone who sees me, I’m far from it. I live with several debilitating hidden syndromes. Living with these disorders have stripped my life and sanity from me piece by piece, with what seems to have no end in sight. My health issues have made my body function in ways that many doctors still don’t understand. Always a comforting thing to hear from doctors… As my day begins, so does the suffering which continues until the time I’m finally able to go to sleep. However, I do have good days every now and then but my hope is to make that an everyday thing. So far some of my greatest endeavors consist of…losing 40 pounds within just a couple of months due to not being able to eat (giving me the great luxury of a feeding tube), a day of 30 Autonomic Seizures (…I know, it’s pretty impressive…), temporary paralysis (quite refreshing to wake up unable to move my legs or even feel them), pancreatitis (3 times), and the most painful of all, a ruptured kidney. To include, not having the strength to walk on my own, feed myself and on some occasions speak, severe migraines that can last up to months, feeling as if my stomach has been carved out with sandpaper then thrown into the pits of hell, may sound like an exaggeration but I assure you it’s not…black outs (rather inconvenient…), etc. I have reached the last of my options and this is my only chance to live as much of a normal, happy and healthy life possible living with the various syndromes that I struggle with. Thank you SO MUCH for taking your time to read my story. I can’t begin to say how much every dollar, moment and SHARE with your friends and family are appreciated. It gets me one step closer to my goal…..living what I consider as normal as possible.
You Can Help
YOU Can Make A Difference
For more information on upcoming events or questions please contact us at: Stacy@DreamAdaptOvercome.com or call 281-330-2538.
Dream Adapt Overcome Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. 100% of each donation goes toward changing the lives of those suffering with debilitating Hidden and Chronic Illnesses. Every dollar given is greatly appreciated and makes a difference!
There are 2 ways to make a difference:
Make a financial contribution by clicking on the DONATE button here. A personal PayPal account is not necessary to make a donation.
When making purchases with Amazon please use the link that also donates a percentage of your purchase back to Dream Adapt Overcome Foundation. It is necessary to login with the following info each time you make your purchase. To make it easier to get to the correct Amazon Smile site create an icon on the home screen of your cell phone by watching HELP info from your specific phone. SMILE.AMAZON.COM/CH/82-4042117
When you hear the sound of hooves, think horses, not zebras. However, many doctors forget that we “zebras” exist. This makes getting a proper diagnosis and treatment more of a challenge.
Why Zebras Are Our Mascot
The correlation between Hidden Illnesses and zebras is incredible! The same way scientists do not fully understand what causes zebras to have their stripes, doctors cannot determine what causes the rare, chronic, and debilitating illnesses. These conditions are frequently overlooked, resulting in the term Hidden Illnesses.