Kim's Medical Journey: Hope Lives Here

UPDATE and SUPPORT Kim recently underwent additional imaging to help guide the surgical planning for her upcoming procedures in Hawaii this June. The scans revealed new findings and evidence of disease progression. While these developments do not change the overall plan for her one to two surgeries, they increase the overall complexity. They also help explain the severe and persistent swelling Kim continues to experience throughout her brain, head, neck, and torso. New Findings: Eagle’s Syndrome : Abnormal bony growths—linked to hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS)—are compressing Kim’s Right Jugular Vein (RJV). Surgical removal of these growths will be necessary, along with shaving of any cervical vertebrae contributing to the RJV collapse. Venous Enlargement : Veins beneath the base of the skull (suboccipital collateral veins) and within the cranial cavity (epidural venous plexus) are enlarging due to continued excess fluid flow. Simply put, Kim’s sewage pipes are overwhelmed, a...

Thank you for your patience, compassion, and ongoing physical and financial support for the Gifford Family . It is time for Kim to focus on what lies ahead, and your kind support is needed.  Please understand that Kim has experienced challenging months filled with numerous setbacks. She continues to suffer from severe symptoms that make it impossible for her to engage in everyday tasks. If you know Kim well, you know that bringing this resilient Italian woman down takes a lot. Unfortunately, she is facing serious issues due to the remaining blockages in her brain, the right jugular vein, and the lower veins that usually carry blood back to the heart. Additionally, blockages are affecting her left kidney and right pelvis, all of which are contributing to her health challenges. The body's venous system does the vital work of taking all the blood back to the heart. The root cause of Kim’s collapsed and blocked veins is Lyme Disease , Ehlers-Danlos and Eagle’s Syndrome rather than ...

Surgery #2 is scheduled for June 19th in Hawaii. Kim is being prioritized for care due to the complexity of her case. She’ll be at Queen’s Hospital in Honolulu, where four incredible surgeons—Dr. Hepworth, Dr. Hui, Dr. Theler, and Dr. Zhang—will team up to repair blood flow from her brain to her heart (aka, unclog the proverbial toilet!). We’re deeply grateful for her medical team and for the continued love and support from all of you. 💛 This journey is no small feat—emotionally, mentally, or financially—for the Gifford family. ✨ Stay tuned: fundraising will resume next week with all the details we know. #HealingJourney #Recovery #journeytoheal #medicaljourney #lymediseaseawareness #mastcell #eds #hae #advocate #jugularveindecompression #eaglessyndrome #lymedisease #medicaljourney #MedicalJourney Words from Kim. This is more than a restart. It’s the return of a beautiful team of friends who are helping carry my family and me through one of the hardest battles of our lives — a fight fo...