<div>Hello, I've decided to start this Go Fund Me while I'm awaiting for my disability appeal to go through which can take up to 6 more months. I'm 30 years old and as many know, I battle and fight multiple autoimmune diseases and heart problems daily.

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<div>I have Sjogrens, lupus, vascular eds, gastroparesis, liver disease, chronic kidney disease, sick sinus syndrome making me pacemaker dependent, heart disease, countless arrhythmias, cardiomyopathy and so much more that prevents me from physically working and it makes just daily tasks extremely difficult. I spend all my time in bed when not in hospitals, or at doctors.

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<div>The system is unfortunately extremely unfair regarding disability and I've been fighting for years. I have a disability lawyer but despite my thousands of concrete records, doctor letters stating I need it, my recent phone hearing was denied. I'm currently in the appeal process but it's incredibly slow due to the government issues that's currently going on in the world.

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<div>I also deal with severe treatment resistant depression and having to rely on others has made me feel like such a burden. I don't have my parents. I've been through a lot of trauma throughout my life, a lot no one knows about.

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<div>TW:

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<div>Includes, suicide loss, homelessness, sexual assault, physical and emotional abuse, watching addiction run through my family and so much more.

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<div>I had a cardiac ablation a couple months ago where I see an EP in NYC at Westchester medical center. This ablation found atrial tachycardia but they weren't able to ablate all of it due to some being too close to my phrenic nerve. Despite my pacemaker and countless meds, I also randomly go into junctional tachycardia and accelerated junctional rhythm.

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<div>I deal with severe, debilitating fatigue 24/7, dizziness, nausea, chest pain, joint pain, headaches, and so many more debilitating symptoms 24/7.

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<div>The plan is to most likely do a heart block to see if this eases the arrhythmias and if they do, then I need to go to Westchester medical again for major heart surgery to cut these nerves. These medical trips also cost a lot of money yet I need to be at a higher center for major heart surgery due to being such a high risk patient.
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<div>In 2023, I had major heart surgery for IST that failed, causing sinus node failure and making me pacemaker dependent at 28, unexpectedly. I then developed pericarditis, heart failure, endocarditis one month post op requiring life flight, high risk extraction and new pacemaker placement, then takotsubo cardiomyopathy, a clot in my left ventricle and now these arrhythmias on top of multiple chronic illnesses.

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<div>I'm beyond exhausted physically and mentally 24/7 and just don't want to place so much stress onto others just because the system is so broken for the sick and disabled and disability shouldn't be such a fight for some who desperately need it to survive.

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<div>Before my heart started getting a lot worse a couple years ago, I was in college and graduated with a Bachelors in Criminology while being the first person to graduate college in my family. I did it while fighting Sjogrens, lupus and eds. While doing infusions, being in and out of hospitals, yet then my heart became so much worse after the heart surgery in 2023.

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<div>I couldn't continue Grad school unfortunately. My goal I'm life was to help other people who also went through trauma and I wanted to make a difference in the mental health and chronic illness community.

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<div>As most know, I don't have blood family who I can safely live with. Also, I used to be in an abusive housing situation that made me not even want to exist anymore, and now I'm trying to establish my own apartment as well while awaiting for my disability appeal.

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<div>However ; I recently got more news that's making this even harder to deal with. I'm currently on cellcept and saphnelo infusions for lupus which are two major immuno suppressants. Unfortunately, it has been decided that I need to do harder core meds which is low dose chemo for these which will suppress my immune system even more and make it extremely dangerous and potentially deadly if I catch infections or any virus. This is unfortunately my only option left to also try to keep my autoimmune diseases from attacking my heart even more. It's incredibly scary.

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<div>With this means that I need to be living close to the hospital and that I'm not able to live with others due to needing to take so many precautions with now needing to start more intense immuno suppresive meds that are considered chemo.

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<div>I don't have any income as I'm not able to physically work so trying to establish this for myself and what my doctors say I need is very difficult and I know this is so much to ask from people and it's beyond hard to not feel like a burden.

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<div>The funds raised in this fundraiser will be used for what it's intended, rent help, adequate housing, along with general bills that arises from this, rent, medical travel to and from longer distance hospitals, especially NYC as I'll be needing to travel there later in December for major heart surgery.

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<div>I also have several enlarged lymph nodes in my neck and unfortunately a needle biopsy wasn't conclusive enough. It has been decided to surgically excise one lymph node to biopsy the node to check for lymphoma as well considering I have all the symptoms and high risk with Sjogrens. 

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<div>I greatly appreciate everyone's time just reading this and please don't feel pressured to donate, just sharing makes a difference. It took a lot to post this but the help is needed.

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<div>I love you all and appreciate you all so much.

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<div>More updates to come. 

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Amber Tshitundu

Kaitlyn Carlisle

Anonymous

Elijah Tabla

Elissa Caddy

Peggy Lamb

Lexi Cheplak

Alyssa Williams

Gabe Dunn

sasha sasha

Jennifer Foster

Tiffany Kaloustian

Adequate housing, medical expenses & and needs.

Just $137$ to go! Make an impact.

Adequate housing, medical expenses & and needs.

Just $137 to go!
Make an impact.