About A. Jay's Fight
A. Jay’s Fight funds medical research, community education, and offers support to people with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), which requires severe food restrictions.
A. Jay's Story
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A. Jay’s Fight is named for my son who experienced food challenges from the moment he was born. Now 16 years old, we weren’t sure A. Jay would see his teen years. As a newborn, his little body would writhe in pain after being fed breast milk. He would projectile vomit and cry from the pain. I dreaded every doctor’s appointment because A. Jay wasn’t gaining weight, yet the pediatricians and specialists had no answers.
What was I doing wrong? Despite seeing multiple specialists, the doctors began to blame me. I was told I could lose custody of my youngest child because this tiny baby who weighed only 15 pounds was losing weight instead of gaining. For an entire year, A. Jay lived in pain as he was poked, tested and took multiple medications. Despite all of this, he could not enjoy food or gain the weight his little body desperately needed. Finally, a specialist in gastroenterology requested his family’s trust. Despite the risks, they gave permission for 1-year-old A. Jay to be put under general anesthesia, a breathing tube placed down his throat and for biopsies to be taken from his esophagus, stomach and intestines. It was then we learned that A. Jay had a rare disease called eosinophilic esophagitis (EOE). It was incurable, mostly untreatable and extremely rare. Most importantly, we would no longer be able to feed him regular food! His body was rejecting the proteins in foods and the doctors didn't know how to fix it. Since the age of 12 months, A. Jay has undergone 49 biopsies, with intubation and under general anesthesia. Every exposure to general anesthesia has increased his negative reaction to the procedure. In 2016 despite following his regimen and being on several daily medications, A. Jay was 10 years old and only weighed 47 pounds. This is the average size of a five-year-old. A. Jay’s bones and teeth were weak, and his eyesight suffered. He was diagnosed with moderate malnutrition. Nothing his family was doing was helping him grow. Because of this, the decision was made to surgically implant a feeding tube through the wall of his stomach. It was unclear what proteins A. Jay was reacting to, so all foods were removed. Doctors were hoping that this would assist him with growing. For nearly 2 years, A. Jay was only allowed “pleasure feeds” of peaches, only. He ate no other foods. At 13, he was only able to safely eat 10 foods. Those foods were onions, bell peppers, beef, pork, tomato, apples, peaches, eggs, rice and corn. This was his diet 365 days a year! A. Jay continued to receive most of his nutrition through his feeding tube until the age of 15. Today, we are grateful that Dupixent has allowed the introduction of additional foods and a chance at normalcy. The Journey
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Donations by mail:
A. Jay's Fight
20180 Park Row Drive, #6176
Katy, TX 77491
A. Jay's Fight
20180 Park Row Drive, #6176
Katy, TX 77491