Hello! I'm Lex! A mid20s, chronically ill, disabled, trans person! When I turned 23, I got very sick physically. Spent countless days and nights in urgent cares, ERs and hospitals. When I turned 24, I got sicker than I've ever been due to having an Epstein Barr infection. This left me with various diagnosis' that have left me homebound, with very little energy. I've been battling with insurance for over a year, to get a power-assist wheelchair. I purchased, with my own money, a manual wheelchair, however, due to my illnesses and fatigue, I cannot manually push myself / self propel. This has left me to rely on other people to have to be with me and continually help me. Although I can walk some, for the past 3 years, I haven't been able to experience much life outside of survival as everywhere is unaccessible to me. Life is filled with countless doctor's appointments, infusions, and trialing and erroring various treatments.

If I have the opportunity to have a power-assist wheelchair, the world will open up significantly. I'll be able to experience a lot more joy. Places that haven't been accessible to me, I'll now be able to experience.

I never expected to get sick at 23. As most people my age wouldn't. I've had to unlearn and relearn everything about myself. I've lost ability to do and experience the things that made me.. well ME. Countless enjoyable activities and hobbies I have prior to becoming sick, I've had to let go. Having this wheelchair would hopefully help me grow and learn some new ways in which I can find joy in life again.

I'm in the best place I've been mentally -- ever. Being able to take this renewed mental energy, it would mean the world to me to have the opportunity to explore life at a capacity I can.

In the few years I've been sick, I've talked myself into not asking for help outside of immediate family. Going without, instead of asking to go with. As I feel very vulnerable making this GoFundMe.

I found a power-assist wheelchair that is actually affordable. Just the idea of hopefully being able to have this wheelchair in the next several months, has brought me so much joy and happiness.

Most people don't realize how much of the world they have access to physically, until they lose it.