I never thought I’d be here—asking strangers for help to survive.

My name is Angela. I’m a disabled U.S. Navy veteran, and I have spent the last several years fighting not just my body, but also a healthcare system that has failed me over and over again. The first picture is when we moved here and the second is now. (5 years)

I live in Montana, where the VA has dismissed my symptoms, ignored previous diagnoses and new ones from specialists, and even put false information in my records. I’ve been told “nothing is wrong"and all I need to do is lose weight and exercise, all while my body has continued to fall apart and deteriorate. The gaslighting has left me not only physically broken, but emotionally exhausted. My quality of life is almost non-existent now. My husband and I moved back to Montana because at one time the VA system here was "on point". Since we have been back- my veteran husband has gotten the care he needs and I have been made to suffer. I've been taken off medication without being sent to proper specialists and I've lost most my teeth in the last 4 years due to Sjogren’s syndrome. For 4 years the VA has denied implants for me(dentures will not stay in due to the Sjogren’s) yet my husband lost ONE molar and within a year he was given an implant.

Things like this are wrong. I live every single day in chronic pain and with multiple serious conditions—hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, systemic mastocytosis, muscle wasting, POTS, semicircular canal dehiscence syndrome, cervical instability, Raynaud's, fibromyalgia, Sjogren’s, malabsorption, frequent falls, and more. These illnesses affect my ability to walk, eat, balance, and even breathe at times. Some are progressive and without real treatment, they will shorten my life.

We need to leave Montana so I can survive. We need to move to a place where doctors will listen to me, where I can see specialists I was seeing before we moved(and new ones for my new conditions), get correct imaging, and where my medical needs will finally be taken seriously.

But moving while sick is overwhelming. We are both disabled veterans on a fixed income and we don’t have the resources to cover relocation costs or even basic living expenses while we try to stabilize my health.

That’s why I’m here—asking for help. I'm desperate.

Every donation, no matter the size, will go directly toward giving me a chance at life:

Safe relocation out of Montana back to Oregon

Access to the medical care I desperately need

A chance to live without fear of being ignored, dismissed, or left untreated

If you can’t donate, please consider sharing my story. Just one share could reach someone who can help.

From the bottom of my heart—thank you for reading this, for caring, and for giving me hope when I feel like I’ve lost part of myself fighting these last few years.

Sincerely,

Angela