Help Ashelyn Stay Housed and Healthy Through 2024

Well, didn't want to have to make this, but there's a first time for everything I suppose.

As you likely already know, my name's Ashelyn; I'm a 25 year old trans woman currently living in Baltimore, Maryland, who's unfortunately found herself in a rather tangled situation.

In July 2023, I developed narcolepsy with cataplexy (also called type 1 narcolepsy), likely as the result of an autoimmune reaction. This is a lifelong neurological disorder, which disrupts my sleep cycle and my body's ability to self-regulate many automatic processes.

This results in periodic sleep attacks (moments of intense fatigue that could result in me falling asleep in dangerous situations, like driving or operating machinery) and cataplectic attacks (loss of muscle tone accompanying intense emotion or fatigue, resulting in temporary paralysis and loss of muscle control). Additionally, narcolepsy also can cause POTS (postural orthopedic tachycardia syndrome), which can cause additional fatigue, nausea, and greatly increased heart rate when exerting oneself and at rest.

While I have received a diagnosis following a sleep study, and was previously able to work with the help of medication and job accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), this wasn't meant to last.

At the end of March 2024, I was laid off from my employer, who was letting staff go due to the contractions of the tech industry - which have resulted in thousands of layoffs across the United States, and the world at large. Despite my best efforts to secure new employment across all manner of industries - I have, so far, been utterly unsuccessful. Additionally, the loss of my insurance coverage has made it financially unfeasible to continue to pay for my narcolepsy prescriptions (which would cost hundreds of dollars per refill), resulting in an inability to commute under my own power to jobs outside walking distance, or to work more physically intensive jobs without putting myself at incredible risk of harm.

I've exhausted personal & retirement savings, and have nearly maxed out my available credit, in an attempt to pay off the remainder of my lease in my Baltimore apartment, as well as additional monthly costs (such as car insurance, phone bills, and necessary medication). While I have applied for and am waiting on both unemployment (due to issues in the claim process), as well as SSDI and SSI from the Social Security Administration, I need to be able to ensure that, at the very least, I can last the duration of my lease (through to the second week of December). This means I cannot rely on the hope of receiving funds from any of these sources by my next rent payment (September 1st).

To that end, I'm trying to raise enough money ($12,000 USD) to keep myself off the street (as much as I love Baltimore, it is not a good place to be unhoused in) & make time to prepare to move wherever I can get employment. This would go towards the remainder of my rent & utilities through December 12th, as well as allowing me to pay essential costs regarding food, transportation, debt, and other monthly bills.

Should I not reach that threshold, I would be hoping to reach half that number ($6,000 USD) - to gracefully end my lease, feed myself, sell any possessions I do not need, and temporarily stay with friends in neighboring states and seek employment while avoiding defaulting on my debt.

If you've read this far, thank you for your time, and God bless you.

- Ashelyn