
Help Arabella pay for necessary specialist care
Doação protegida
Hi, my name is Arabella and I am chronically ill and disabled. I struggle with a range of complex issues that require medical treatment - including Hyperparathyriodism, Degenerative Disc disease, Arthritis, CPTSD, Migraines, chronic fatigue, PCOS and others.
These conditions cause a range of symptoms that impact my life greatly. Some of the most bothersome are:
- chronic fatigue
- insomnia
- joint pain
- migraines & headaches
- vomiting & nausea
- spine pain & weakness
- TMJ disfunction
- vitamin deficiencies
- vision changes (blind spots & aura)
- hormonal changes
- depression
- unexplained weight gain
- limb weakness & numbness
- weak immune system
- dissociation
- panic attacks
Due to my conditions I have to spend a lot of my time sleeping & resting. When I am able to leave the house I rely on a walking stick, crutches or wheelchair to manage my symptoms. Even with these modifications I often can’t leave the house for very long and require a person with knowledge of my conditions to come with me. This greatly interferes with my independence and quality of life.
Because of all of these factors I spend a lot of time visiting GPs & Specialists to diagnose, test, treat and manage my collection of illnesses. As I have a complex set of illnesses, all parts of my body are affected and needs a team of specialists to manage.
Background -
I used to work at the QUT library helping the public access the library’s collection and greatly enjoyed my time there - I was forced to stop work due to my illnesses. I have a Bachelors degree in Animation, minoring in literature & visual arts. I still create art when I am well enough but as I am severely disabled I cannot pursue the career I had planned for. You can find my currently for sale works at arabellajk.com , with funds going towards my living/medical expenses.
I am waiting on appointments with a Rheumatologist and Endocrinologist to further diagnose & treat my conditions. I also need a consultation and surgery for my spine to help with a crush fracture, kyphosis, bone spurs, osteopenia, disc bulges and relating issues. An initial appointment for each can be up to $500, not including additional appointments and scans. I am hopeful medical intervention will help me avoid spinal surgery.
In addition to specialist care I need help accessing functional therapies that will improve my quality of life. The main ones being an Occupational Therapist and Osteopath.
I am also waiting on an assessment from a psychiatrist for Autism, ADHD & OCD to fully diagnose these conditions and access available supports. I have found a clinic with discounted rates for concessioners with the initial assessments and reports totalling $910. In addition to this I also need regular contact with a psychiatrist and psychologist for review, management & treatment of my mental health. With a mental health plan, each appointment is $124 out of pocket.
Due to night terrors I have developed bruxism and need a $800 mouth guard to protect my teeth from further damage. The Bruxism has caused TMJ dysfunction and severe jaw pain. I have a chronic health plan to see an osteopath to hopefully help with this issue.
My overall goal right now is to fully diagnose and stabilise my health so I can access NDIS. Right now I am struggling to pay for my normal doctor appointments and medication, with nothing left over for the additional appointments I need to improve my symptoms and quality of life. I have no family support and am relying on the kindness of others.
Anything you have the capacity to donate would make a really big difference in my life.
Organizador
Arabella Kajewski
Organizador
Fitzroy, VIC