BreAnn’s Story

Site created on July 24, 2018

NOTE: Donating to Caring Bridge in honor of Bre goes to the CaringBridge.org website and NOT BreAnn. 
Donating to her GoFundMe page (https://www.gofundme.com/BreAnnAhara) goes directly to Bre and her family.

Hi everyone and thank you for visiting.  As Bre's friends and family, we are SO GRATEFUL that you are taking part in her journey.  Bre's entire life as she knew it has changed in a matter of months.  It has been agonizing to watch her go through the torture of this much pain and disappointment, with still no answers from doctors or signs of healing in sight.  She went from a typical, healthy 30-something mother of 3 and business owner, to being chronically ill, in tremendous pain and basically incapacitated.  

I've had several people act surprised that she's as ill as she is, considering the "cute pictures of her" they see online.  Please don't let these images fool you.  There have been a couple of days a month - A COUPLE - here and there where she's been able to somewhat get herself out of bed and put on lipstick to feel human again and show up outside of her home (with help) and into the world around her.  These moments have been few and far between, and she's often needed to rest in bed for days afterward just to recover from attempting to walk around.  Lately, she hasn't even been able to get out of bed unassisted.  Lately her world has been closing in on her even more and leaving her bedridden and alone.  It's torturous for me (her friend) to have to write that truth down, but I think it's important that we share this harsh truth with all of you so you're aware of how desperate the situation truly is.  WE NEED TO GET HER BETTER!
-Megan

Here's a recent note from Bre:

"The consensus is that I’m suffering from a severe onset of “autoimmune disease of unknown etiology”. I’m in the middle of getting to the bottom of which autoimmune diseases specifically, (but they strongly suspect Rheumatoid Arthritis, among multiple others). I’m in constant, debilitating pain, my joints have seemingly turned to cement and almost every system in my body has been negatively affected. I have a team of Hematologists, Rheumatologists, Gastroenterologists, Urologists, Gynecologists, Functional Medicine Doctors, Nutritionists, and now pain management specialists, to help me. But all of them want extensive testing done and it’s expensive. My treatment options are also expensive, and some that I want to try aren’t covered by insurance. I’ve reached a new level of desperation and am willing to try just about anything to regain my mobility and get my life back. While we have hope that I can get better, most of my diagnosis’s are chronic, incurable and disfiguring. So while we pray for a miracle, I’m realistic about what my future may hold. 

In addition to losing my mobility, I feel as if I’ve lost my identity. I was the doer, the donater and helper, the volunteer. Not the one that NEEDED the help. However I’ve shut down my appraisal business, that I worked so hard to build, losing half of our income while my health costs have doubled our expenses. 
My loving husband is now my full time caregiver, helping to dress, shower and do basically everything else I definitely don’t want his help with. My children have lost the mother they knew and have lovingly accepted this new modified version (who is struggling to accept this new modified version herself). We are trying desperately to make the best of it, but we’re now admittedly overwhelmed and life just feels unfair.

In all of this, we have been lovingly surrounded by family and friends. My parents have dedicated their time and energy in retirement to care for me and my family- in the ways that I just can’t anymore. My dad drives 3 hours, each way, (almost every week) to come and help us with the kids and to drive me to appointments. My mom (and her amazing assistant, my sister) have become my caseworkers and spend their time on the phone battling the insurance company and banging down doctors doors, trying to get me the care and services that I need.
My best friend has basically kept me afloat emotionally for the last 6 months and begged me to let her finally raise us some money. I could go on for pages on the kind and loving people that have stepped into our lives when we desperately needed it most.
But for now, all I will say is thank you. 
Thank you in advance for the abundant support, prayers and well wishes. We are so incredibly humbled and grateful."

Newest Update

Journal entry by BreAnn Ahara

Happy Mother’s Day to all of you out there pushing through and showing up. Motherhood ain’t for the faint of heart. I’ve been blessed by my own beautiful mother as a steadfast and resilient role model AND mama. Thanks Mom for always showing up and loving me through good times and bad. I promise to take care of you when you’re old 😉😍
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