I'm Ashley's Aunt Christie. I'm reaching out on her behalf because we must come together to support her in obtaining and maintaining her own place to live until her disability is approved, which she is told could take YEARS.

I've watched her body change like something out of a horror story over the last year. She went from healthy and happy to unbelievably sick — so fast. Starting last summer, she got sick more and more often. Multiple physical symptoms and severe bouts of abdominal pain sent her to the hospital multiple times. The first few times, she was given pain meds and discharged from the ER. Finally she was in so much pain, she came to me instead of the hospital and I watched her experience what seemed like 12 hours of hard labor without drugs. I monitored her blood pressure and supported her the best I could. The next time it happened, she was alone with her baby at home and had to call the ambulance because she blacked out and woke up in her own vomit. We rushed out to her an hour away. My husband took her son home and I stayed to advocate for her at the hospital.

She's been hospitalized multiple times since, tested negative for everything from allergies & autoimmune disease to Monkey Pox and all the things in between. Her labs are always 'normal.' She's had her gall bladder surgically removed and has had surgery twice to remove abscesses that developed with no real diagnosis. She has developed an incredibly rare and painful skin condition where her skin fills up with so much lymphatic fluid that she swells from her breasts to her knees until she can hardly move at all. Her skin stretches so much, and so fast, that her skin becomes rock hard and her pores open up and leak lymphatic fluid, breaking down her tissues and causing permanent skin and nerve damage. This has been happening for a year now. She is devastated and in constant, debilitating pain at 32 years old with 3 young boys to care for. The two oldest have their dad to help but her 5-year-old is with her 24/7.

She lost 3 separate jobs she tried to hold onto for having to miss shifts while at the hospitals or doctors and being physically incapable to perform job duties, like sitting and standing for more than 15 minutes at a time. She lost her apartment of 3 years and had to adopt her beloved dog out to strangers because she could no longer afford it. She lived in her car for nearly 3 months this past spring/summer, while she desperately tried to find somewhere safe to go and help her manage her health. She has seen every kind of specialist and continues to meet new doctors almost weekly. Most of them do not take the time to learn about her condition. Many are cold and dismissive. They ALL refer her to someone else, simply stating there is nothing they can do to help her. When the pain is so bad she can't take it anymore, or even get herself out of bed, she is told to go to the ER. The ER says they can't help her except maybe (rarely) for pain, but not if she has to drive herself or has her baby with her, which she usually does.

Despite ALL of this she has remained hopeful and determined to figure out the cause and be healthy again. She is practicing a whole food diet and currently attending class to become a substitute teacher, with the hopes that this can accommodate all of her medical appointments and her son's school schedules, while also saving to get into an independent living situation. Living with strangers short term, while being so vulnerable and sick is not working anymore. This is an immediate need. Most recently, 3 months of steroids had helped the swelling to go down a bit and the skin to slightly heal. After one week of stopping the steroids per doctor orders, her swelling is back and her skin has again opened up and is draining lymphatic fluid. The two most recent diagnoses are severe lymphedema for her skin condition and Wells Syndrome, which is extremely rare. We are waiting on another specialist to help and do bone marrow testing among other things.

Ashley has been through so much in her life, starting as a very small child. She has raised herself. She has ALWAYS made do with what she had. She is one of the most dedicated mommies I've EVER met and I want to see her healthy again. Anything you can donate will help us reach her goal of buying medical grade compression garments for the days her pain level is low enough to tolerate them, register her vehicle so she stops getting petty tickets she can't afford, and most importantly having a safe home for her little family. This fundraiser will remain active until she is on the mend to help support her in all the ways. If this last round of specialists can't figure her out, we would like to continue to save for a deposit to the MAYO Clinic, which will not take her Medicaid, but WILL schedule her with a deposit. We will provide updates often. Thank you so much from the very bottom of our hearts.