Edited in December 2024 to include information on the next surgery (#22). "This sucks" is something I tell myself way too often. I was born with an incredibly rare birth defect in my jaw called an Arteriovenous Malformation or an AVM. This condition has caused severe bleeding, tooth loss, and a significant amount of daily pain over the last ten years. It also comes with the promise of a lower life expectancy if the AVM is not eliminated. I've had nineteen surgeries in hospitals in Albany, Boston, and NYC. At the end of 2024, I reached the end of what medicine could provide me here in the States and was referred to a surgeon in Milan, Italy. This surgeon is pioneering a new approach to treatment that's focused more on being curative than being a band-aid fix. I underwent a new procedure in May of this year and an open jaw surgery in October. As far as we can tell, it's been successful! I'm heading back to Milan in February for another open jaw surgery. It's going to be (again) another expensive surgery on top of being incredibly challenging in all ways possible. My parents have been amazing along this journey and we've been very fortunate to have good insurance, but we’re at the point where we need your help. Our insurance won’t cover treatments outside of the US. The first surgery cost us well over $20,000 and the second nearly $70,000, not including travel and lodging costs. The next one is quoted to be about the same as the last. Without continued treatment, I risk a life-threatening bleed and a lower life expectancy. Any help that you can provide me won't go unnoticed and is more helpful than you know. I'm not quite ready to give up yet but I need some financial support to be able to face this next challenge on this incredibly hard journey to being (hopefully) AVM free. Your help means everything to me. I appreciate your support as I face this next battle <3 -Emily
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