Battling Crohn's: A Path to Independence

Hi, I’m reaching out for support because I’ve reached a point where survival shouldn’t have to feel this impossible. I’m currently too sick to work, haven’t yet been approved for disability, and am trying to survive month to month with no reliable income—while navigating severe chronic illness, undiagnosed autism, and decades of medical and emotional exhaustion.

I’ve had Crohn’s disease for as long as I can remember—unresponsive to treatment and severely debilitating. I’ve tried everything from medical to holistic, and still, most days I’m too sick to get out of bed. I’ve already had 3 ambulance rides this year alone. On top of that, I’m unmasking for the first time in my life—which is emotionally raw and physically exhausting—and trying to reclaim parts of myself I’ve had to hide just to survive.

Right now, I’m caught in a loop—too sick to work → dependent on others → living in an environment that makes me worse → and back to sick again. I’ve never had the chance to become a fully independent adult because of this condition. But I need that. I want to break the cycle and build a life where I’m safe, supported, and able to heal.

I’m currently living with my mom out of necessity, but the emotional dynamics in the home deeply affect my nervous system and my health. I know that if I had a stable, quiet space to live—one that doesn’t constantly trigger my stress response—my body would begin to heal.

I also deal with comorbidities like iron deficiency anemia, poor dental health, and the constant burnout of navigating life as an undiagnosed autistic person. I’m doing my best to stay afloat while I go through the long, slow process of applying for SSI. But in the meantime, I still need food, shelter, and basic support to survive.

So I’m asking for help:

$24,000 would cover one full year of living expenses—food, supplements, rent, and the day-to-day costs of existing in a disabled body. I know that’s a big number, and honestly, I hesitated to even write it. But this is what I actually need to stop living in crisis mode and finally start to stabilize.

If you donated to my previous GoFundMe, thank you. That fundraiser was meant to support an album I never got to record because my health crashed. This is a different chapter, a different need. This is about needing support to get out of survival.

Even if you can’t donate, sharing this helps.

Holding space for my story helps.

Believing me helps.

Thank you for being here.