Hi! I made this GoFundMe to cover the cost of medical care of my new eye-opening invisible illness diagnosis (neuro-hypermobility) that explains my confusing life-long chronic daily struggles to date. To heal 33 years of not getting what I needed for my hypermobility will take $$$ that I don't have for numerous appointments with out-of-network specialist doctors. Your donation will help me heal my hypermobile body, learn how to better care for my body and for continued proper medical care/necessary fitness routines. Each donation helps me feel less alone.

Being dismissed/misunderstood due to misconceptions on the seriousness of neuro-hypermobility: My chronic physical discomfort, related back injury, distressing 'tics' and extreme difficulty with eating has been dismissed as simply being “anxiety” or GERD my entire life. I am finally validated with a formal diagnosis proving my struggles have never just “been in my head”. Hypermobility is an 'invisible' illness that is widely misunderstood in the medical field!

Growing up and still to this day, my physical experience is defined by a constant 'internal noise'—a persistent need to adjust and realign in search of stillness. I've spent my entire life masking this to fit into a world not built for my biology, leading to deep-seated exhaustion and a need for specialized support today.

My current struggles with evidence-based links to my diagnosis:

~Constant tension in upper body~

WHY? To stabilize loose joints, the nervous system forces muscles to chronically tighten and overwork

~Daily tightness/pressure in chest upon eating anything~

WHY? eating triggers a "blood shift" to the gut that the nervous system cannot stabilize + tension in upper body acts like a “straitjacket”

Repetitive ‘tics’

WHY? To compensate for "blind" joints, the nervous system triggers ‘tics’ or ‘stimming’ movements to help the brain physically "find" the body in space.

~Constant dry mouth~

WHY? Autonomic nervous system dysfunction

~Overall daily physical discomfort~

WHY? Central Sensitization (hyper-reactive nervous system constantly processes "normal" joint laxity and internal organ shifts as high-level pain signals.)

Now that I have this missing puzzle piece, I can finally learn how to take care of my body. However, the treatments I need are from doctors who are out of network from my insurance (I have an EPO plan which doesn't allow super bills/reimbursements either). The funds raised here will help cover the costs of these ROLFING/Physical Therapy/Hypermobile Specialist treatments and may also go toward pilates classes and items that support my healing, such as a weighted blanket/sensory items. Your support will make a real difference in my daily life and help me move forward with hope.

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If you care to better understand the scope and severity of my struggles and my new eye-opening diagnosis, please read on :)

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For my entire life, I’ve struggled with daily severe discomfort in my body, hyper-interoception (intense physical awareness) and sensory-seeking repetitive movements. These symptoms have only gotten more difficult post a major surgery I had in 2024. Any time I swallow food, I have an intense chest tightness/pressure and bloating. This has been ongoing since January 2024 and I have had to start meditating while I eat as well as doing self-massage during and after meals. Also, one of my sensory-seeking repetitive movements led to an injury that I continue to have to treat with daily pilates. I was told, "It's all in your imagination" and "you'll grow out of it". Growing up, my physical experience was defined by a constant 'internal noise'—a persistent need to adjust and realign in search of stillness. I've spent my entire life masking this to fit into a world not built for my biology, leading to deep-seated exhaustion and a need for specialized support today. My intuition told me that the root cause was not anxiety, but something deeper linked to a heightened physical awareness/sensory issues. This month, a good friend of mine Michael Boothby recommended a ROLFING practitioner and she finally connected the dots for me: I am hypermobile.

Amy Iadarola. Certified Advanced Rolfer® explained that, because my joints are "too stretchy," my brain’s internal GPS (proprioception-awareness of one's body in space) is offline. Turns out, hypermobile people use more muscle simply standing than non-hypermobile people. This explains why my shoulders and neck are always so tight. She helped me realize that my repetitive movements aren't "bad habits"—they are my brain’s way of seeking sensory input to feel safe. Also, that my "anxiety" isn't just in my head; it’s a physiological response to a body that feels structurally unstable (People with hypermobility also produce more adrenaline and are overall more sensitive to stimuli).

This diagnosis is life-changing because, for the first time, I am seen, understood, and taken seriously by a medical professional. Hypermobility has only started to be researched in the last 10-15 years and is still not widely recognized by the general medical community. I also hope that this gofundme will be a way to advocate for others who are suffering from hypermobility and searching for answers amidst doctors who may be ignorant and therefore dismissive.

Now that I have this missing puzzle piece, I can finally learn how to take care of my body. However, the treatments I need are from doctors who are out of network from my insurance (I have an EPO plan which doesn't allow super bills/reimbursements either). The funds raised here will help cover the costs of these ROLFING/Physical Therapy/Hypermobile Specialist treatments and may also go toward pilates classes and items that support my healing, such as a weighted blanket/sensory items. Your support will make a real difference in my daily life and help me move forward with hope.

Thank you so much for helping me. I have felt quite alone in these struggles but with your help, I can finally learn from these specialists how to take care of my body and most importantly, heal my body and prevent future injuries.

Special shout-out to Holy River (Laney & Jameson) for giving me the opportunity to go to Beard Fest & Anahata's Purpose Festivals to babysit for their adorably wonderful child, which led me to meet Michael Boothby (Breathwork Practitioner and Substance Use Disorder Group Facilitator) who recommended ROLFING and found Amy my ROLFER for me, who led me to Kristina my PT.

Thank you. Your support means the world to me.