In tears, Sue Faber pleaded with her doctor to give her one more chance.

“Please,” she implored during a July 2015 appointment. “Is there anything else you can think of that might be wrong with me?” 

For 14 years, Faber, a Burlington RN with expertise in both emergency and community case management, had struggled with mysterious and debilitating symptoms. She had seen half-a-dozen specialists who put her through every test imaginable. Each one came back negative.

In 2015, she was juggling a part-time job, a master’s degree program, and three frequently sick young children. She was desperate for answers.