Heather's Dental Relief Fund: Urgent Help Needed

Hi. My name is Heather, and I am a person with an immense zest and passion for life. I otherwise go by Fish Geek Girl because of my interest in aquarium fish. Most days, I love my life and feel so driven. I'm always thinking of my next endeavor. However, lately, things have been clouded by troubling thoughts and physical pain. My teeth issues have long plagued me, but despite years of trying to fix things, they just keep getting worse.

Part of this is caused by genetics, but part of it is also caused by my OCD.

My specific type of OCD is health-focused and sometimes called "sensorimotor" OCD. Simply put, I've developed a type of eating disorder known as ARFID (avoidant restrictive food intake disorder) because I stopped trusting my ability to chew and swallow food safely about 10 years ago. It has caused me to experience extreme distress when eating at times because I'm terrified of choking, and my body refuses to let me swallow my food. I spent years sipping on drinks for calories just so I wouldn't waste away, which essentially destroyed my teeth. I have done a lot of work with psychiatrists to address this, and it has improved some, but unfortunately, the damage was already done. I have had endless cavities since this issue developed, and I've done my best to get everything handled as I could afford it.

However, I'm currently looking at $5,000 to get work that needs to be done immediately. The pain and discomfort have been maddening. My insurance renews on January 1st, but it only covers a small fraction of the work needed. And I'm sure more work will follow.

I hate to be in this position, but despite efforts to make extra money, expenses keep rising, and I'm becoming overwhelmed.

Currently, I'm in desperate need of a bridge to replace my temporary one which just came out and a root canal to address a tooth which keeps throbbing. I have tried applying for credit lines, but I have exhausted my options to that end.

This GoFundMe is my last resort to bring some relief financially and get my issues sorted out so I can eat food and maintain my weight and health. Any donations are greatly appreciated, as I know a lot of people are struggling. Even if this makes a quarter or half the goal, it will be so helpful in securing the care I need.

I appreciate anyone who has taken the time to read this.