Chronically Kris: A Journey of Dysautonomia

Chronically Kris: A Journey of Autonomic Neuropathy & Comorbidities

Hi, friends and wonderful citizens of the world! My name is Kris, and I have created this GoFundMe campaign in hopes of...

1.) Raising awareness about Dysautonomia and comorbid conditions;

2.) Establishing a care fund to aid in covering my medical expenses and living costs;

3.) Anecdoting my medical journey to share with others who may have or have had similar experiences, while also providing them with useful or reputable resources which have helped me in managing my conditions/symptoms or in navigating the disability insurance processes.

I have been diagnosed with the following lifelong conditions, which present with many comorbidities:

Autonomic Neuropathy, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), Idiopathic Hypersomnia (IH), Central Pain Syndrome, Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), Hypermobility, Gastroparesis, Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), Endometriosis, Spondylolysis, Spondylolisthesis, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD).

My care team includes: Primary Care Physician (PCP), Cardiologist, Neurologist, Immunologist, Anesthesiologist, OBGYN, and Behavioral Therapists (x2)

A TL;DR Version of My Story:

In June 2021, I had surgery to remove Endometriosis and my right fallopian tube, which had been causing me to have extreme pelvic pain for months. Following surgery, in December 2021 I concluded a course of GnRH receptor antagonist medication and received my first COVID vaccine. Shortly thereafter, my Dysautonomia and POTS symptoms became aggravated, intolerable, and debilitating; thus, I ceased working in February 2022 and began FMLA, which later converted to Short-Term Disability in June 2022, and then Long-Term Disability in August 2022).

My battle with my health conditions has been fierce, with treatments having included 12+ prescription medications, 9 months of physical therapy, several months of occupational therapy and pelvic floor therapy, 3 Stellate Ganglion Injections, 1 Sacroiliac Joint Injection, 1 Pectoral Minor I/II Block and 1 Anterior Scalene Injection.

My battles with the disability insurance company and SSA, however, have been fiercer. Over the last 3+ years I have faced discrimination due to my age and education, have had unknowledgeable doctors evaluating my claims (and ignoring the evidence and statements provided by my specialists and medical records, which medical journals and studies corroborate), witnessed the falsification of information in a desperate attempt to craft an alternative narrative to invalidate my claims, and endured ableist remarks implying that people with disabilities should starve, be financially insecure, and stare at blank walls for the entirety of their waking hours — simply because I pay bills online, watch TV, partake in social media, and play mobile videogames.

I have exhausted the entirety of my savings account and my 401(k) trying to stay afloat these last 3 years while managing my health and battling these disability claims, while also accruing a large amount of medical debt in the process (due to medical insurance denying many of the prescribed treatments).

Thus, due to my Long-Term Disability benefits being paused/terminated on February 1, 2025 and my SSDI payments not having yet begun, it is with great humility and humbleness that I ask you, my dearest fellow humans, for financial assistance to help cover medical expenses and daily living expenses, which I otherwise will no longer be able to afford until my SSDI payments begin and/or LTD benefits continue.

Fundraiser COST BREAKDOWN:

• $5,271 for outstanding medical bills (caused by insurance denials).

• $6,729 to cover the following necessities while without income: mortgage, food, heat, electricity, gas, water, sewage, dog food.

To those who donate, I cannot express my gratitude enough. Whether you donate $1, $10, $100, or $1000, every dollar is appreciated and is incredibly helpful in providing financial stability, housing and food stability, and peace-of-mind that I will continue to have a roof over my head and food on the table for yet another day.

To those who want to donate but cannot afford to do so, please consider providing a word of encouragement and/or sharing my story and campaign with your friends and relatives. While this is in part about my livelihood, it is also about the discrimination and difficulties persons with disabilities encounter, and the battle against massive corporations (i.e., disability insurance companies) who aren't held accountable for the lives they so easily seek to further impair or destroy.

Regardless of whether you donate, THANK YOU for taking the time to read my story and share in my journey – this road is much less lonely with your support, thoughts, and prayers.