Mandolin's Traumatic Brain Injury Support Fund

UPDATE: From Survival to Healing: A Life-Changing Opportunity

I want to start by saying thank you from the deepest part of my heart. Three years ago, when I had no idea how I was going to keep going, and couldn't even type for myself, your support made all the difference. It carried me through hard days, allowed me funds to live, and I still feel the impact of your kindness today. I don't have family support and I truly wouldn’t be here without you.

Four years ago, my life changed overnight. A traumatic brain injury (TBI) left me disabled and chronically ill, stealing the life I had built and leaving me in a constant battle just to survive.

Before my injury, I thrived in the world—leading global retreats, rock climbing, surfing, hiking, and holding healing spaces for others. Now, even the simplest tasks—brushing my teeth, getting dressed, or making food—require 28.6 hours of in-home support each week.

For years, doctors told me they didn't know how to help. I was left to fight alone in a system that has neglected me, dismissed me, and failed to provide the care I need. I’ve endured falls, hospitalizations, lost housing twice, and spent every day in survival mode as I developed chronic illness and seizures.

But for the first time since my injury, I have a real chance to heal.

A functional neurology team in Portland, Maine, has evaluated me and has a plan for me to make a FULL RECOVERY. Not just a little—fully. They have helped thousands of others with brain injuries & chronic illness like mine regain their independence, and they are confident I can do the same.

This time it's more than survival, I can stop begging people for money online just to survive, return to work and get a dignified life back.

This treatment means I can:

✅ Live independently again - No longer needing constant in-home support.

✅ The ability to work again—to provide for myself and create a safe, stable future

✅ No more chronic illness that hospitalizes me unpredictably

✅ An end to the seizures that recently started

✅ Walking up stairs without my heart rate spiking to dangerous levels

✅ Bending down without passing out

✅ Being able to drive again

I still need to raise more $13,000 to begin treatment. If you’re able to help again, it would mean the world to me. Because I am sponsored by a 501(c)(3), your donation is tax-deductible. That means you can help change my life rather than pay it to the government at the end of the year. If you’d like a receipt for your taxes, just reply to this email, and I’ll send one your way.

But whether or not you can donate, please know that your kindness already changed my life. Your support gave me hope when I needed it most, and I carry that with me every single day.

Thank you for being part of my journey. I am endlessly grateful for you.

Love and Gratitude,

Mandolin

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Hello to all who love Mandolin,

It has been awhile since we have written an update on Mandolin’s TBI recovery. As we have shared before, TBI recovery is long and includes both positive progress, and negative setbacks. The purpose of this update is to share both the good and the bad in order to illustrate a holistic view of Mandolin’s healing journey, which includes an ask for any financial support you can provide to help Mandolin with basic living expenses over the next six months.

Please see below for a summary for those of you who would like to learn just about “the ask”. Afterwards are details about Mandolin’s everyday life, her highs and lows, and overall recovery, complete with some pictures and videos. Thank you for taking the time to read and your consideration in donating.

SUMMARY

Due to her traumatic brain injury, which affects her ability to work, Mandolin receives disability pay from the state of Maine. It has become clear that the disability pay is not enough for even basic living expenses on a monthly basis. For example, she receives less than $10 per day for food.

Because the money she receives from the state is not enough to cover her basic living expenses, Mandolin lives in constant fear of losing her housing and not being able to afford her bills. Living in this constant state of flight response greatly hinders her ability to recover.

We are raising money for Mandolin to supplement her monthly disability pay by $500 over the next 6 months. Absolutely any donation is appreciated beyond what words can express. Donation options are as follows:

VENMO: Mandolin directly @MundoAdventures

GoFundMe: Follow the prompts on this page :)

Mandolin has a new team working to find a long term, sustainable solution for her care and finances. The hope is that this financial support from loved ones in her network will help her live, stress free, over the next six months.

Side note: If anyone has law experience with those on SSI disability, please contact Mandolin to offer your advice and direction on her rights regarding these benefits - because it simply is not a livable income.

DETAILS ABOUT MANDOLIN’S RECOVERY

TBI RECOVERY IS LONG, PAINFUL & INVISIBLE

Three years after her Traumatic Brain Injury in May 2021, Mandolin and her dog Winnie live together in her home state, Maine, while she continues to focus on her recovery. Often TBI’s are challenging for people on the outside to understand because many times it is an invisible injury. She looks like her youthful, beautiful, smiling self on the outside, but on the inside her brain does not function normally the way it did in the past, everyday activities are no longer “simple”, and the road to recovery is really long, painful, many times hopeless and isolating.

IN-HOME SUPPORT

The in-home support that Mandolin receives 24 hours a week is invaluable and there to provide Mandolin with basic help she needs and to keep her safe. They help her climb up and down the stairs to her apartment, ensure she doesn’t fall in the shower, and help her with basic tasks around the house like preparing food.

A LONG AWAITED DIAGNOSIS

Mandolin finally received a diagnosis of dysautonomia that helps to explain so many of her chronic health issues for the past three years. This means system functions that are supposed to be automatic, just aren’t. Functions like regulating body temperature, functioning of the eyes, the nose, and the gut. Essentially, major processing centers are not properly communicating with the brain. This diagnosis has been a major breakthrough, as she has been able to work with doctors to start to tackle various issues - like a cardiologist to monitor her heart and use medication to help stabilize it.

NEW DOCTOR & VISUAL THERAPY

Additionally, Mandolin has started working with a fantastic Optometrist Neurologist who has been able to give her a diagnosis related to how her visual intakes trigger the debilitating reactions like migraines, dizziness, and vomiting. One of the diagnoses is vestibular dysfunction, another is Pots. Mandolin is currently in rehabilitation for both of these conditions. It has been through Mandolin’s focus on completing her visual therapy exercises each day that she has seen a huge decrease in adverse reactions like vomiting, which used to be a daily (sometimes hourly) occurrence in the past. This is the first time in Mandolin’s recovery that her triggers for these debilitating side effects were identified - enormous progress.

DAY-TO-DAY SUPPORT

Mandolin is committed to her recovery, but still struggles with day-to-day activities. She needs constant support maintaining a strict routine, including her physical therapy. Mandolin struggles with any deviation from a daily routine, because if she does, negative symptoms arise. Mandolin uses notes around the house to identify what she needs to do on a day-to-day basis. These notes include what the average person would automatically do without thinking, like brushing teeth or rinsing dishes - for Mandolin, these are major events. Mandolin needs the support the way you would support a developing child. The daily tasks people take for granted, like being able to have a phone conversation, is a struggle for her and takes a lot of energy and focus.

NEW THERAPIST - GREAT WIN!

Another win that Mandolin has experienced is gaining a therapist through the state to advocate for her. With a TBI, Mandolin’s brain cannot handle stress like a healthy brain, and needing to be her own advocate with the state, while managing her own finances and health care had been extremely overwhelming and damaging to her recovery. The therapist she was recently placed with has been able to get to her core issues and make recommendations for what support Mandolin needs, for example, someone to manage her finances. Her therapist has helped Mandolin link with the right providers to build a stronger support network to advocate for her needs.

SIX MONTH GOAL

Mandolin’s six month goal is healing to the point of being able to have an overnight camp-out for her 40th birthday. With a continued focus on her recovery, this feels like a very real possibility.