Help Al Reclaim Independence with an Electric Wheelchair!

Hello everyone!! My name is Al and I am a 22-year-old disabled, covid conscious, genderqueer lesbian living with severe ME/CFS, long covid, hyperPOTS, hEDS, gastroparesis, suspected MCAS, etc. I’m hoping to raise money to cover the cost of a lighter weight, foldable electric wheelchair!

My life changed for the worse on August 24th 2020 when I was a 17 year old on campus for my first year of design school at North Carolina State University. I contracted my first known covid infection right as they were sending us students home for the year. Barely scathing by, I lived through a terrifying acute illness which was followed by weeks, into months, into now five years of countless hospital admissions, appointments, specialists, so many needles, medical testing and then all of the personal effects of my new found life and disability. Navigating the loss of my identity, the gradual and progressive loss of ability over the past five years, losing connections to the things and people I love, and so much more has been nothing short of exhausting. This new world and identity of disability is scary, but with the support of my family and the privilege and access to things like medicine, specialists, and mobility aids makes so much difference in my life.

Over the years, my ME/CFS and Hyper Adrenergic POTS have become severe. My gastroparesis and chronic pain are not responding to treatments as much as we would hope. Because of this, I rarely leave the house. I spend every day in bed and on the couch. I desperately miss having an independent adult life as society knows it. I miss driving, I miss going out and doing fun things. While I know I can’t go into the world as often as I would like to due to my fatigue, with a wheelchair, and specifically one that I can move independently without relying on someone else, I can have a slice of that life back! Since getting a non electric wheelchair, I have been able to be in public without having some of my symptoms worsen, but with my severe fatigue and pots, pushing myself manually for more than a minute or so at a time is pretty much not an option. I crave the independence an electric wheelchair can give me. Things like being able to be in nature, independently going into a doctors appointment, the grocery store, and other places mean so, so much to me and I don’t take my abilities for granted like I used to. It would mean the world to me to have more of my independence back and to feel like when I do get to leave the house, I am my own person who gets to decide where exactly my wheelchair and body takes me!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read a little bit about my life these last few years! I really appreciate anything you are able to give or do. Just sharing is so helpful, so thank you all! I love my community so much, and with this chair I hope to be much more involved in it physically.