04/11/2024
Please help me share my story 🤲❤️
I chose to be an ORGAN DONOR years before my diagnosis. I always wanted my final gift to be my final deed , as I always believed that I have not lived today until I have done something for someone who can never repay me ❤️
I was diagnosed in October 2021 with 2 rare autoimmune liver diseases that I inherited from my mother ( which I didn’t know that time or even my mother knew she had it). The first one is called Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC). My immune system is mistakenly attacking the bile ducts in my liver, which is causing them to become swollen and make bile acid stay trapped inside them ,which causes inflammation of the liver and permanent scarring and damage.
The second liver disease is; Autoimmune Hepatitis. My immune system is mistakenly attacking my liver thinking it’s a strange object.
These both diseases are progressive autoimmune liver diseases that could be genetic and inherited from someone in your family, or could be caused by a viral infection.
There’s no cure for these diseases unfortunately, only treatments that can slow down your progression into end stage liver failure and death, and I am unfortunately a non responder to all of the treatments that are currently available in the market which made me progress faster than many other patients.
I’m only 45 years old. I started slowly losing my life quality , being fatigued and itching from bile acid leaking into my blood stream which if you didn’t respond to itching medication, will make you not have any night sleep at all . Slowly, I started developing vitamin deficiencies , as with these diseases, your body will not be able to absorb vitamins since the lack of bile acid ( which is the only thing that makes your body absorb vitamins and helps cleans your body from all toxins and bad cholesterol).
With that being said, my body is acting against me in all ways, severe fatigue, non stop itching, bleeding, water retention, brain fog, dry mouth and eyes, worsening Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis, and in the last 8 months, I started having Hypoglycemia because my liver cannot regulate Glucose levels the right way,and with that being said, I have to eat something every 2 hours to avoid fainting. All of these complications are related to having these liver diseases.
For my bad luck, my gallbladder was removed in 2019, I was six months pregnant FYI, and found out later by couple of other doctors that I was not supposed to have it removed while pregnant, and there was no need for it to be removed anyway, it was just a bad diagnosis by an unqualified surgeon 🤦♀️
If I just have my gallbladder right now, it would have been some help to my situation.
These diseases are so evil, I almost lost all my teeth in July 2021 and had to have a gum surgery that costed me an arm and leg out of pocket money since insurance never covers those types of dental surgeries.
I lost my mom last June 2022 just three weeks after she was diagnosed with these 2 diseases, I saw her going through everything these diseases cause, from Jaundice to Ascites, Edema, Variceal bleeding and Hepatic Encephalopathy ( the loss of brain function when a damaged liver doesn’t remove toxins from the blood).
It is the hardest thing anyone can ever imagine to not be able to help your beloved ones while they’re suffering, but there comes the Lord and his angels who loved her so much and didn’t want her to suffer long. I miss her like crazy, but happy at the same time that she’s in a better place happy, not suffering in pain. I feel her soul around me always ❤️
When I thought losing my mom would break me down into pieces, it actually didn’t !! It surprisingly made me stronger, tougher and more aggressive to fight these diseases. For my mom’s soul to be happy and my 4 years old and 18 years old kids needing me to be around them longer, enjoy them, celebrate them and watch them grow happy and healthy and see what life is bringing them, and give them strength to face hard circumstances.
I’m a hairstylist and makeup artist who always have passion to make people happy and see their big smile with even the smallest makeovers to their hair and styles. I unfortunately had to quit my job a year ago due to getting sicker, but did not give up and will not, and dreaming of that day when I can get transplanted and recover and pursue my beautiful career and life 🤲♥️
While insisting on fighting the disease and doing everything I can do to be around my kids and take care of them, there comes our organ transplant system in the states. With changing rules about getting listed for a transplant, to who’s more eligible than who and the survival rate while lots of organs being wasted.
I NEED YOUR HELP PLEASE!!
I need a gift of life! I need a piece of someone’s liver, and we both can have our livers regrow into full size in 8 weeks. We both can live happily and healthy .
I will treasure this gift and be grateful and thankful to you for the rest of my life .
Thank you seems too small a sentiment to say. But I will forever be grateful for the gift of life that you are willing to pass my way 🤲❤️
Blood Type Needed ( A or O )
I’m listed at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta.
P.S. your surgery cost and all testings required will be covered by my insurance.
I appreciate you reading my story 🙏❤️
Lubna Erakat ( LuLu )
lubnaerakat@gmail.com
I’m a GA , Gwinnett County resident.
