Donate for Ani’s Mobility and Independence

Update At The Bottom.

To My Friends And Family ♥️

We Have Been Fighting With a Battle That I’ve Kept Mostly Silent About. You All Know Me To Be Super Active In Our Community Through The Jibaritos With Troops, Puerto Rican/Hispanic Parade Street Coordinador, Proud Blue Star Mom Helping Military Fundraising To Send Care Packages Overseas, Secret Santa For Domestic Abuse Shelters As Well As Lots Of Other Volunteer Work. If You Needed Us And Our Help, My Husband Jose And I Would Be There. We LOVE Helping Our Community And Giving Our All Because Helping Others Is Enriching And It’s What’s In Our Hearts.

Since October Of 2024, My Health Began To Deteriorate. I Couldn’t Hold Down Food, I Kept Regurgitating Everything I Tried To Eat Or Drink. It Got To The Point Where I Could Not Even Tolerate a Sip Of Water. After Different Doctor’s & Tests, It Was Determined That I Have Múltiple Ulcers Caused By Stress. I Was Put On Two Different Meds To Help Them Heal Over The Next 6 Months. It Was Difficult To Adapt My New Life Schedule Of When To Eat, Drink And When NOT To Eat Or Drink, But I Had No Choice And Have Now Adjusted. Then When I Think I’m Getting On The Road To Recovery, In March I’m Told They Are Still Present, To Continue With The Meds Indefinitely. It Was Around Then That I Also Got Slammed With Vertigo. This Flare Up Felt Different This Time Around Than Any Other. It Was Far More Intense. Even Sleeping, I Would Feel Like I’m Falling Or On a Terrifying Carnival Ride. This Flare Up Went Beyond The Usual Weeks… Then My Gait Started Failing. I Was Full Of Bruises All Over From Falling Down HARD Or Tripping Over My Own Feet From, What I’ve Loving Tagged As “Drunk Walking”. After Hospitalization, MRI’s, MRA’s, Scans, Spinal Scans, Brain Scans, Countless Blood Tests, Countless Doctor’s And Specialists, Cardio Monitoring For 72 Hours And So, So Much More… They Have Finally Given Me a Diagnosis, But Don’t Yet Know What’s Causing Me To Stumble, Spasm, And Shake Or The Fatigue. They Do Know That It’s Not Just Vertigo, Because Flare Ups Don’t Last Months Long. I Currently Am Doing Vestibular Therapy And That Has Been HELL For Me Because They Induce MORE Dizziness To “Teach You How To Manage It”… And Soon, Physical Therapy For My Legs As I’ve Lost Muscle Tone Due To Losing 52 Pounds, I’ve Also Lost Strength And Yes, I’m A Total Weakling Now… All This Has Lead Me To Needing a Wheelchair To Get Around As Walking Is Super Difficult, But Also To Be SAFE. I’m Also Tired Of Being Trapped In These Four Walls Because I Can’t Walk Straight Anymore. It’s Been a HUGE Change For Me Try To Function Daily As Best As I Can Navigate And This Has Been Taking a Harsh Toll On Both Me As Well As My Husband. It’s Been Draining To See So Many Doctor’s And Shelling Payment After Payment That Isn’t Covered By Our Insurance. It’s Been Draing On My Mental Health As Well. All THIS, On Top Of C-PTSD & Anxiety, I’m TRYING Not To Fall Into Depression But Who Am I Kidding… This Is a Daily Battle That I’m Not Winning No Matter What I Do. And I’ll Be Honest… Many Times, I Do Feel Defeated. It’s FRUSTRATING When My Brain Say Let’s Get Up And Walk, And My Body Falls, Stumbles Or Trips And The Bruises Never Stop. BUT, I’m Keeping My Head Above Water. I’m NOT Giving Up, I’m Daily Looking For Positive Affirmations And I Am Holding On Through Faith.

So, I’m Asking You, My Family, Friends And Community… I Need Your Help. I’m Kindly Asking If You Can Please, Please Help Me By Donating Whatever You Can So I Can Get a Decent Sport Wheelchair And An Adaptive Backpack. While Our First Thought Is a Walmart Wheelchair…. Reality Is, That Those Chairs Are Mostly Made For Transport, And For People Who Have Caretakers Like The Elderly… The Difference Of What’s Loving Called The “Granny” Wheelchairs Is The Sport Model Is Lighter 24-27 Pounds Compared To 30-45 Pounds. Remember I’m Admitting To Now Being a True WEAKLING! It’s Also Smaller As Well As Less Bulky. The Adaptive Backpack Is For Putting It On The Handles So I Can Place My Belongings Inside (Keys, Wallet, Phone, Water Bottle, Hand Sanitizer And So On.)

Please Help Me Get Back To Where I Once Was. I MISS Seeing All Of You And Joining In The Volunteer Work. I MISS My Community!!!! I’ve Missed Out On All Summer Fun And Being Able To Go Places And Say Hello To Those We See Out There In Our Community. Please Help Me Get Back Out There SAFELY.

Lastly, Should There Be Anything Left Over, I Will Use It To Purchase:

1) Wheel Covers (Back And Front) So I Don’t Bring In Outside Mud, Dirt, Debris Or Rain To My Or Others Homes.

2) Push Rim Cover (To Help In The Winter As The Metal Rim Gets COLD)

3) Possibly a Winter Leg Blanket So When I Got Out, My Legs Will Stay Warm.

4) Clothing Protector

5) Seat Belt

6) Pressure Relief Cushion

Respectfully,

Ani Rodríguez

AKA

Jose’s Wife

UPDATE:

For Those That Have Been Asking Why Don’t I Go Through Insurance Or Why Do I Need a Sportschair or The Best One Yet… I’m Going To Get Lazy Using a Chair…

1) I Would Have To Wait MONTHS For The Insurance To Decide What Sort Of Chair Is Best For My Specific Needs And Then Wait For It To Be Fitted, Built, Packed, Shipped And Delivered… I Do Not Want To Play The Red Tape Waiting Game While What Mobility I Do Have Now Will Suffer Even Worse…

I Am TRYING To Regain Mobility. This Is WHY I Am Asking For Your Help. Would YOU Want To Wait For Months On End Or Would You Try Your Best To Do Whatever Necessary Not To Lose More Function From Your Life?

2) After Asking And Being Pointed Towards a Sports Chair By Professionals… That Is What We Agreed With. It Will Be At Least 30 Pounds Lighter Than a Regular Steel Wheelchair, Which Is What I NEED. Look at Every Wheelchair Ad… There Is Usually a Caretaker Pushing Behind The Person. Having Now To Depend On Everyone Around Me Is Beyond Difficult.. So Those Big Bulky Steel Made 45 Pound Chairs Are NOT Accessible For Me. It Serves Me No Good And Proper Function. Please Understand I Have Low Muscle Tone And Cannot Lift Like I Used To a Year Ago. My Body Is Not Where It Was. I’m Not Strong. I Cannot Lift 45 Pounds Up And Over My Trunk Without Falling On My Butt. Kindly Understand This Main Issue.

3) For Those Who Have Remarks About Me “Getting Lazy” In a Chair… And Other Stupid Comments That Have Trickled Down To My Ears… All I Choose To Say Is… I Pray You Are Never In My Position. And If You Find Yourself There In The Future, I’ll Still Help You, Because That’s Who I Am. I Choose Good Over Evil. Yes, Your Comments Do Hurt And Do Play Over And Over In My Head… And Yes, I Have Cried On My Husband About This Because I Am Only Human And I Do Not Understand Your Reasons Or Comments Or WHY Would Things Like That Cross Your Lips… But, I Still Choose To Be Kind…