Hi, my name is Brooklynn, and this is really hard for me to write. I’ve gone back and forth about whether to do this, because I’ve always been the kind of person who just figures things out. I work. I show up. I don’t ask for help unless I absolutely have to. But right now, I’m scared and I’m out of options. After a medical episode at work related to a functional neurological condition, I was taken off the schedule and placed on leave. Even though my doctor cleared me to work and said I don’t need accommodations, my return to work was delayed. My employer refuses to schedule me in my hired position and is forcing me to accept a demotion. What I thought would be a short interruption turned into weeks without income. I live paycheck to paycheck. I don’t have a safety net. When my paychecks stopped, everything else kept going. Basic necessities, groceries, gas. I used what little I had saved, telling myself I’d be back at work soon. But the weeks kept stretching on, and now my bank account is empty. Now my employer has placed me on unpaid leave and has forced me to accept a demotion due to my disability.

The hardest part is the feeling of being stuck. I’m doing everything I’m supposed to do. I’m talking to attorneys. I’ve contacted the EEOC. I’m trying to advocate for myself the right way. But these processes take time, and in the meantime, I still have to survive. Some days I feel strong. Other days, I feel overwhelmed, exhausted, and unsure how I’m going to get through the next month. Asking for help makes me feel vulnerable in a way I’m not used to, but pretending I’m okay right now would be a lie. This fundraiser isn’t about blame or anger. It’s about getting through this moment. It’s about having help with legal fees, food, and basic necessities while I work to get my footing back under me.

A little about me:

I am 29 years old, and in 2023 I was diagnosed with a subtype of FND called PNES. I suffered a head injury from falling at home, which caused my disability now. My disorder mimics epilepsy, so my PNES episodes may look very similar to epileptic seizures, but they are non-epiletpic. When I hit my head, it caused a disruption in my brain, not physical damage, but physiologically damage, where my brain tries to send a receive signals, but sometimes there's a glitch or overload in the pathway, which causes these uncontrollable seizure-like episodes or myoclonus in my face. However, the way it affects the body is completely different than epilepsy, which makes a big difference in what I am able to do workwise and my specific rights as a person with a diagnosed disability.

If you’re able to help in any way, even a small amount or simply sharing this, please know how much it means. And if you can’t, thank you for taking the time to read this and see me. I don’t want to do this alone anymore. Thank you for being here.

Brooklynn