Medical and Living Expenses

"There is an art to flying, or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss. ... Clearly, it is this second part, the missing, that presents the difficulties."


Let me preface this by saying; I realize everyone struggles. I realize many people live in chronic pain. Pain is nothing new to me. Not only has this been an ongoing issue, but I am also apart from my spouse and will be until I am able to get better, get back to work, and pay for visa fees. There is a huge part of my life missing and it is extremely difficult to battle through life in pain without him. I do have the support of my family, which I am eternally grateful for. More than anything, I wish I was well enough to support my husband like he needs so badly right now. He is also unable to work at the moment, as he injured his knee recently and may need surgery. Please note: I CANNOT go to Australia due to the fact that the visa to get me there costs over $6,000. This is regardless of the fact that we are married. That is why I am trying to get my husband to the states.

At about age 20 I started to develop low back pain. It has gotten continuously worse over the years. If you suffer from back pain, you know how awful and debilitating it can be. I frequently get 'flairs' that cause me to spend much of my time in bed and no matter how I position myself I get no relief.

In March of this year, I was (finally) diagnosed with fibromyalgia by my primary doctor. Although I'm not happy I have fibro, at least it helps explain some of the frequent pain I get; not only in my low back but in many other places as well. I also experience constant fatigue, brain fog, sensitivity to pressure and pain in the skin, tingly/electric/prickly pain in my limbs, weakness, numbness, restless/disturbed sleep, night sweats, temperature intolerance, gastrointestinal problems, heart murmur, itching and hives, muscles twitching, swelling in arms and legs, jaw pain, difficulty speaking, forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating and other mental issues, sensory overload, restless legs syndrome, etc. The list just goes on. It is difficult to accomplish much.


The main issue:

Throughout my life, I have experienced occasional migraines. They have never been very frequent; maybe two or three a month at the most. But they often last for a couple days, sometimes three. Fast forward to about 3 months ago; the migraines started to become more and more frequent. Now, for the past two weeks, I have had a nearly constant migraine. I have done everything the doctors have recommended. I have tried every medicine they have prescribed. The only thing that seems to give me a small amount of relief is injections of toradol, which is a relatively strong nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug. The next step is to get an MRI of my brain, which my insurance will not cover. The doctor told me it will cost about $2,000. I am doing my very best to not worry. Thinking about the possibilities terrifies me.

In addition to the medical costs I have accrued over numerous doctor visits, I have been forced to miss a significant amount of work. Had I been able to push through the pain and work through it, I would have in a heart beat. Unfortunately, my job requires one to be alert and able to problem solve technical issues. The pain from my back and especially the migraine has more or less turned my brain into jelly.

Now I have found myself between a rock and a hard place. I have already been forced to pay my rent late, which cannot happen again as I have roommates relying on me. My phone is about to be shut off as well. I have gotten as much help from my family as I can. I fear I may be in trouble. I am returning to work this week regardless of how much pain I am in. But at this point, I need help to ensure I can get the brain scans I need and to stay in my home and off the street. If I can accomplish these things with your help, I can then begin to help my husband again.

If you can help AT ALL, I would be beyond grateful. It's hard to struggle and it's hard to ask for help. But sometimes we all need a little help.

If you cannot donate, please share.

Thank you, with all the love in my heart.

"There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory which states that this has already happened."

For those who are curious, I have been diagnosed with the following health issues:

Fibromyalgia
Migraine
Chronic back pain
Depression
Anxiety
Irritable bowel syndrome
Insomnia
Restless legs syndrome
Reactive airway disease and allergic rhinitis