Hi there! Thank you for taking an interest in my story. 
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My name is Kim Dewey; born in Ohio and raised in Lake Placid, Florida by my parents with my younger brother.  Currently residing in Des Moines, Iowa with my life partner, Maru, and one roommate, Jodie. 

Chronic Health Issues
As far back as I can remember, I have lived in chronic pain – muscle, joints, and migraines (with aura) and battled fatigue with sporadic periods of intense brain fog.  At 13, my rheumatologist diagnosed me with fibromyalgia and Raynaud’s.  In my 20’s, I was diagnosed with Grave’s disease. Years go by and the diagnoses list, along with the list of prescribed medications, just grows longer and longer.  I grew weary of seeing specialist after specialist - with no good answers or solutions.  Then, when my health started spiraling downwards in the fall of 2017, I requested referrals to the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa.

Since being seen at the University of Iowa, I have met with internal medicine, rheumatology, allergy/immunology, genetics, pain management, neurology, and more!  New diagnoses - finally have some answers - include:  Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, essential tremors, and major depressive disorder.  Additionally, my local specialists, including cardiology and gastroenterology have added the following diagnoses:  mitral valve prolapse with severe regurgitation and irritable bowel syndrome. 

I am continuing to work with my amazing team of physicians - my allergist/immunologist believes that there is also an underlying autoimmune deficiency - that would explain my frequent illnesses/infections.   

Tough 2018  
This previous year, 2018, was perhaps the toughest I have faced.  Here is a brief listing of challenges encountered:

• I continued my leave of absence from Aasonn (began November 2017).  Short-term disability was approved for nearly six months.
• Maru required shoulder surgery under workers' compensation (that only paid her 66 2/3rd of her pay while on leave - and the first few days, she had to exhaust her PTO) in January.
• Maru returned to work briefly - before having surgery to remove the "baby melon" and full hysterectomy.  (I'll be sure to make a blog post soon about the "baby melon" - basically, it was a gigantic ovarian cyst that was pressing on her bladder and other organs).  Recovery pushed Maru beyond the job protection that Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provided and into long-term disability (60% of her pay).  In 2018, Maru was on a leave of absence for nearly five months - and only received partial pay during this time.  
• With my poor health, my primary doctor sent several referrals for me to the University of Iowa in Iowa City.  We have made frequent trips to see a variety of specialists - including, but not limited to - rheumatologist, internal medicine, neurologist, orthopaedist, pain management, psychologist - sometimes going once every week.  
• Our basement flooded during the great "Beaverdale Flood" this summer.  We had a foot and a half of water in our basement.  We lost countless sentimental family mementos, photographs, books, furniture.  We had been using the basement as storage - never thinking it would flood. 
• Furnace/AC died.  It was 25+ years old.  Our good friend Aaron had patched it up for us several times before it finally gave out.  We replaced the furnace/AC unit during the hottest month of the year.
• My employment was terminated in July 2018, as I was unable to return to work. 
• The flood necessitated us having to replace the water heater and sump pump.  We were within a half an inch of having to replace the furnace/AC unit (again).
• We received notice from our homeowner's insurance that they were cancelling our policy unless we completely replaced the roof on the house and garage.  They also referenced our siding, which was admittedly falling off in places and warped in others. Therefore, we replaced the roof, siding, and gutters on the house and garage.  
• I stopped receiving disability pay from Guardian (the short-term and long-term disability carrier that was utilized by my past employer) in the middle of April. 
• My claim for long-term disability benefits was denied - despite having NO change in my health status.
• My claim for Social Security Disability benefits was denied.  
• We cashed in all 401k's to help cover the added expenses and simply cover our day-to-day expenses, like utilities and groceries.  

Giving Back
I have always had a strong desire to give back to my community; this was instilled by my parents...  who modeled this behavior by their own volunteer work.  I remember some holidays, we as a family would help serve meals at local soup kitchens. 

​Beginning in 6th through 12th grade, I volunteered at the Lake Placid Public Library and the nearby hospital (as a candy striper).  In high school, I also spent a summer volunteering with a botanist at the Archbold Biological Research Station.  

I continued the spirit of giving back when I moved to Pensacola to begin my undergraduate degree at the University of West Florida.  I worked within the Center Learning & Volunteering Experience (CLOVE) nearly 4 years – which helped place UWF student volunteers with a myriad of nonprofit organizations in a tri-county area. 

After college, my volunteer work became dedicated to pet rescue - fostering cats and dogs, transporting companion pets, assisting with the adoption process, and helping with fundraising efforts.  We currently volunteer with Safe Home Rescue, based in Des Moines, Iowa. 

​Additionally, I have supported fellow alcoholics and addicts and their family members through my involvement in 12-step programs.  For the past six years, we have hosted what I affectionately call “orphan holidays;” on major holidays, such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, etc., we invite those in recovery without a safe place to go to join us at our home for a potluck on the holiday.  We provide a sober, fun environment for our tribe. 

Education
Communication Arts, BA
University of West Florida

Human Resources Management, MS
Golden Gate University

Previously held designations:
Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) 
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Administrator

Click link to donate now!  
https://www.gofundme.com/baildeweyout

Medical Information
includes diagnoses and current medications as of March 2019.