- G
- M
- B
Hi everyone! Thanks for visiting my page. I am raising money for a really inspiring organization: Pets for Patriots — https://petsforpatriots.org/
The catalyst for this fundraising effort is many-fold. The long form version is below. The short version is as follows: 1) I've suffered from chronic musculoskeletal pain for many years and am finally getting the care I need, 2) as part of my recovery, I've set a goal of doing a Tough Mudder, 3) our dog Shadow has been foundational in helping me get better, 4) I want to help veterans — many of whom experience unfathomable physical and/or emotional pain during and after their active service to our country — rescue animals from our extremely overcrowded shelters. I believe that the relationships we form with our pets can be healing and transformative; that in a sense, Pets for Patriots’ mission facilitates the saving of two lives at once. I hope you'll agree and give what you can — every bit helps and is deeply valued.
* * * * * *
The long version…
For much of my life, especially in my 20s, I have suffered from debilitating, chronic musculoskeletal pain. Over the years I saw many different specialists for many different injuries; I saw patterns in how and when things hurt and as I got older I was certain there had to be a connecting thread. As I cycled through appointment after appointment, it often felt like no one else agreed. I felt isolated in my pain and, at my lowest, even considered if maybe I was crazy. Thankfully, I found an amazing physical therapist who helped me rebuild my confidence each time I was physically derailed.
In August 2017, I finally found the right specialist. She diagnosed me with a condition called hypermobile joint syndrome (also sometimes known as benign hypermobile joint syndrome or hypermobile spectrum disorders, and, less commonly, hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos; most experts now believe these are two distinct conditions which exist on a spectrum). Though it is believed to be a genetically heritable condition, at this point in time diagnosis is clinical. This, coupled with the fact that it's not a super common condition, makes diagnosis difficult. Getting a diagnosis gave me such relief, but in many ways I was just getting started.
For a multitude of reasons, I did not begin truly addressing my chronic pain until early 2018. I'm not sure why I waited so long; I think I believed that everyone suffers, that I was tough enough to handle it, and that admitting the pain was too much to bear meant that I was weak. By that time, the pain was so persistent that I would wake in the middle of the night from it almost every night. I was exhausted and desperate. Fortunately, my diagnosing doctor had referred me to a pain management specialist back in August, so I finally picked up the phone and made an appointment. Through dedicated time away from work, various procedures, medication, a rigorous physical therapy regimen, and the support of my family, friends, and colleagues, I am slowly taking back autonomy over my body. I'll be honest: the going is slower than I would like, and some days I feel frustrated, but I am reminding myself daily that healing takes time and that the journey will be what it will be…
…which brings me to WHY I am fundraising for Pets for Patriots. I am fortunate that I could serve as my own advocate while navigating my chronic pain. Animals are not so fortunate. They are innocent victims of careless human behavior: neglect, abuse, failure to spay/neuter, overbreeding, etc. etc. etc. The ASPCA estimates that 1.5 million innocent cats and dogs are euthanized in the United States EVERY YEAR. For many, this may truly be a more humane outcome than their prior life would have yielded, but it is still a devastating number. Separately, I cannot profess to know what it’s like to be a veteran, but I do know that after risking their lives to keep us safe they deserve better treatment — such as better healthcare and more robust social support systems — than our government often provides. We owe it to these brave men and women to do better by them. Of course, a dog or cat won’t replace better programs, but having a pet to love and care for can transform a person’s life for the better.
My husband Chase and I rescued Shadow as a senior dog in September of 2016. He has helped me in ways I couldn't imagine this year: motivating me to go outside and do my PT exercises, serving as my walking buddy when it was the only exercise I could manage, cuddling with me and licking my face when I felt hopeless and alone... basically, loving me unconditionally, as only a dog can.
I am signed up to do a Tough Mudder 5K on May 18th: https://toughmudder.com/events/2019-philly-5k. I'd originally planned to do a full Tough Mudder, but a huge part of this journey has been learning to accept where I am at any given moment. To accept my limitations and the current state without beating myself up for not being capable of more. I recognize I may need to walk portions of the course, that I may not be able to complete every obstacle. But, having this goal to work towards gives me motivation to keep getting stronger. As part of my goal, I want to raise $2900 for Pets for Patriots. I chose $2900 because my 29th birthday was June 21, 2018 and I wanted this year to be one of continued recovery, growth, and healing. Writing this update as of May 14, 2019 I can confidently say that so far it truly has been. If you can find it in your heart to give and support this amazing cause, I (and the many veterans and shelter pets this organization supports!) would be eternally grateful.
Thank you SO, SO much for reading this. Lastly, if you are suffering from chronic pain — physical OR emotional — please know that you are not alone. I know how hard and scary it can be to keep pushing and advocating for yourself when you feel betrayed by your own body. What I said earlier is true: we do all suffer sometimes. What I’ve come to realize in the past 18 months, however, is that we don’t have to accept suffering as the status quo, and we don’t have to go it alone. Show kindness to one another and keep fighting the good fight, friends :)
P.S. We will cover GoFundMe's fees for the goal amount of $2900 so as to be able to donate the full amount to Pets for Patriots!
The catalyst for this fundraising effort is many-fold. The long form version is below. The short version is as follows: 1) I've suffered from chronic musculoskeletal pain for many years and am finally getting the care I need, 2) as part of my recovery, I've set a goal of doing a Tough Mudder, 3) our dog Shadow has been foundational in helping me get better, 4) I want to help veterans — many of whom experience unfathomable physical and/or emotional pain during and after their active service to our country — rescue animals from our extremely overcrowded shelters. I believe that the relationships we form with our pets can be healing and transformative; that in a sense, Pets for Patriots’ mission facilitates the saving of two lives at once. I hope you'll agree and give what you can — every bit helps and is deeply valued.
* * * * * *
The long version…
For much of my life, especially in my 20s, I have suffered from debilitating, chronic musculoskeletal pain. Over the years I saw many different specialists for many different injuries; I saw patterns in how and when things hurt and as I got older I was certain there had to be a connecting thread. As I cycled through appointment after appointment, it often felt like no one else agreed. I felt isolated in my pain and, at my lowest, even considered if maybe I was crazy. Thankfully, I found an amazing physical therapist who helped me rebuild my confidence each time I was physically derailed.
In August 2017, I finally found the right specialist. She diagnosed me with a condition called hypermobile joint syndrome (also sometimes known as benign hypermobile joint syndrome or hypermobile spectrum disorders, and, less commonly, hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos; most experts now believe these are two distinct conditions which exist on a spectrum). Though it is believed to be a genetically heritable condition, at this point in time diagnosis is clinical. This, coupled with the fact that it's not a super common condition, makes diagnosis difficult. Getting a diagnosis gave me such relief, but in many ways I was just getting started.
For a multitude of reasons, I did not begin truly addressing my chronic pain until early 2018. I'm not sure why I waited so long; I think I believed that everyone suffers, that I was tough enough to handle it, and that admitting the pain was too much to bear meant that I was weak. By that time, the pain was so persistent that I would wake in the middle of the night from it almost every night. I was exhausted and desperate. Fortunately, my diagnosing doctor had referred me to a pain management specialist back in August, so I finally picked up the phone and made an appointment. Through dedicated time away from work, various procedures, medication, a rigorous physical therapy regimen, and the support of my family, friends, and colleagues, I am slowly taking back autonomy over my body. I'll be honest: the going is slower than I would like, and some days I feel frustrated, but I am reminding myself daily that healing takes time and that the journey will be what it will be…
…which brings me to WHY I am fundraising for Pets for Patriots. I am fortunate that I could serve as my own advocate while navigating my chronic pain. Animals are not so fortunate. They are innocent victims of careless human behavior: neglect, abuse, failure to spay/neuter, overbreeding, etc. etc. etc. The ASPCA estimates that 1.5 million innocent cats and dogs are euthanized in the United States EVERY YEAR. For many, this may truly be a more humane outcome than their prior life would have yielded, but it is still a devastating number. Separately, I cannot profess to know what it’s like to be a veteran, but I do know that after risking their lives to keep us safe they deserve better treatment — such as better healthcare and more robust social support systems — than our government often provides. We owe it to these brave men and women to do better by them. Of course, a dog or cat won’t replace better programs, but having a pet to love and care for can transform a person’s life for the better.
My husband Chase and I rescued Shadow as a senior dog in September of 2016. He has helped me in ways I couldn't imagine this year: motivating me to go outside and do my PT exercises, serving as my walking buddy when it was the only exercise I could manage, cuddling with me and licking my face when I felt hopeless and alone... basically, loving me unconditionally, as only a dog can.
I am signed up to do a Tough Mudder 5K on May 18th: https://toughmudder.com/events/2019-philly-5k. I'd originally planned to do a full Tough Mudder, but a huge part of this journey has been learning to accept where I am at any given moment. To accept my limitations and the current state without beating myself up for not being capable of more. I recognize I may need to walk portions of the course, that I may not be able to complete every obstacle. But, having this goal to work towards gives me motivation to keep getting stronger. As part of my goal, I want to raise $2900 for Pets for Patriots. I chose $2900 because my 29th birthday was June 21, 2018 and I wanted this year to be one of continued recovery, growth, and healing. Writing this update as of May 14, 2019 I can confidently say that so far it truly has been. If you can find it in your heart to give and support this amazing cause, I (and the many veterans and shelter pets this organization supports!) would be eternally grateful.
Thank you SO, SO much for reading this. Lastly, if you are suffering from chronic pain — physical OR emotional — please know that you are not alone. I know how hard and scary it can be to keep pushing and advocating for yourself when you feel betrayed by your own body. What I said earlier is true: we do all suffer sometimes. What I’ve come to realize in the past 18 months, however, is that we don’t have to accept suffering as the status quo, and we don’t have to go it alone. Show kindness to one another and keep fighting the good fight, friends :)
P.S. We will cover GoFundMe's fees for the goal amount of $2900 so as to be able to donate the full amount to Pets for Patriots!
Organizer and beneficiary
Beth Zimmerman
Beneficiary