Needing Greater Safety and Independence

Hello Friends, Loved Ones, and Supporters,

Most of you know my story that I was born with Cerebral Palsy. Most of you also know I have had a great and blessed life. Until the last few years, I was fully ambulatory, walking, able to drive, etc. However, that has unfortunately changed, and I am humbling myself to ask for some help.

I have suffered for the last few years with increasing dystonia of my lower limbs. Both Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Neurology have followed me. Dystonia was the reason for a severe car accident in early 2020, as I could not control the brake and accelerator. I will never forget those seconds when I thought I was preparing to die. I was fortunate only to take out a steel bench and did not suffer even a scratch on my body. I could not say the same about my SUV; I was so proud to have paid all cash. From then on, I could hardly walk any distance without a person accompanying me for physical support. My days of complete independence have seemingly been over.

All the physicians have told me is that this tends to be the trajectory of this condition as we age. We don't know if it will continue to get worse. Most research on this condition is with infants and toddlers.

I would say that I am nearly homebound at this time. I can only leave home right now when my family is with me. Both of my parents are in their mid-seventies, and both are having increasingly serious health issues. They have told me it is too taxing on them physically to be my support outside the home. I ride the store-owned electric scooter when I go shopping. I am fortunate to ambulate around the home while holding onto walls and other furniture. This has left me resorting to working from home to support myself. As it stands, and close friends can attest, I am not safe outside the house alone. The reality, though, is to make more money, I will need two to three jobs. I need to be able to get out into the community, not only for my mental health but to pick up some "side hustles." I'm willing to work at Walmart to pick up some extra funds. Work-from-home just isn't giving me enough right now. I went from one hundred percent independence in 2019 to now. It's a huge adjustment. I am limited by my body, not my will or motivation.

Once I have the apparatus, I picture the sky as the limit. While I can mobilize a manual wheelchair (and they are cheaper), I think an electric chair would better fit my independence needs. I could go online and purchase a manual chair today, but I do not have anyone to push me if I get tired, need to be faster in getting somewhere, etc. The picture above is the wheelchair I have chosen for myself now. The model I have chosen is because it auto-folds. To make it easy to get in and out of a vehicle, I can take it on an airplane to travel with easy stow,

To move forward, including tax, I need $3,284.33. Insurance sees me as not disabled enough (very limited criteria, not being self-feeding, self-dressing, etc.) I have looked for several years but can't find any grants to help cover mobility equipment-- which I always thought was readily available! It is not! I am resourceful. Asking for help is not my first action plan. I've completed most things all by myself in my adult life.

I need some independence back. If you have any questions, please get in touch with me; I would never be asking if I didn't truly need the help. If you can get this out there, I would appreciate it too.

I know not everybody likes GoFundMe due to fees, ethics, etc.

Here is also my Venmo: @Sarah-Ditore

Love and Grace,

Sarah