A Winkler area woman is leaning on faith, family and community as she prepares for a major medical procedure.
For the past five years, Nicole Friesen, 28, has been dealing with health issues, some so debilitating that she has been unable to eat.
“Growing up, I have always had various GI issues that were brushed off as anxiety. Then there was a point when we thought maybe I had some food allergies, but it was continuously swept aside,” said Friesen. ” I was just having health issues popping up left and right, so I knew then that something wasn’t right.”
Three years into the pain and nausea, Nikki lost her ability to eat.
“I would get violently ill when I tried to eat. I would have severe abdominal pain and fullness, and I was being left without answers,” said Friesen. “I was really having to fight for myself to try to survive.”
After going through multiple tests, it was discovered that she was dealing with some rare vascular compressions.
“Unfortunately, here in Manitoba, doctors just weren’t very familiar with them, so I was continuously still brushed aside.”
From Manitoba to Spain: Seeking a diagnosis abroad
Eventually, Nicole was able to get a feeding tube placed and travel to Spain to complete the diagnosis process.
“We weren’t getting the proper testing here in Canada, so we flew to Spain back in May to be able to get further imaging and testing done, and that’s when I was diagnosed with four vascular compression syndromes.”
One of them is called superior mesenteric artery syndrome or SMAS. It occurs when the duodenum, the first part of the small intestine, is compressed, making it difficult for food to pass through.
“Another one is called median arcuate ligament syndrome or MALS,” said Friesen. “That one causes the median arcuate ligament to compress the celiac artery, which affects the blood flow to the abdominal organs.”
The other two are Nutcracker syndrome, which affects the blood flow to the left kidney and May–Thurner syndrome, which affects blood flow ot the pelvic area.
Surgery in Virginia offers hope
On Jan. 26, Friesen will travel to Virginia to undergo surgery for her MALS and SMAS, after learning that the surgery being offered in Canada only has about a 60 percent or lower success rate.
“I will be seeing a surgeon out there who specializes in a surgical procedure called the Alvear Method, which has the highest success rate so far for SMAS.”
If all goes well, this surgery will relieve the compression and allow Friesen to eat again.
GoFundMe campaign supports surgery costs
To make this all possible, Friesen’s brother created a GoFundMe campaign to help cover the costs.
“We’re aiming to raise $60,000, and right now we’re sitting around the $30,000 mark. I think we might be entering the $40,000 mark, so that’s amazing.”
Faith and prayer keep her going
Friesen says it’s thanks to her family, friends and faith that she has been able to make it this far.
“Without my faith, without the Lord, I honestly wouldn’t have been able to walk this because it has been very dark at times,” said Friesen. “There have been times when I have wondered if I would even survive this, and the Lord has just been so gracious in meeting me in those places.”
She is asking for prayers as she travels to Virginia, that her body would be strengthened and able to handle travel, and for the surgery itself.
“That it would be successful and that there would be no complications, and that it would yield the results that we are hoping for.”
Anyone interested in donating can do so here.
To watch her entire journey, visit Nicole’s YouTube page here.
