Hi my name is Danielle and I am needing your help. Please.

In April 2022 I was at the peak of my health. Happy, healthy and living life to the fullest. Then I contracted Covid. This did not affect my respiratory system it affected the rest of my body.

My joints filled with agonising pain, my muscles began to spasm and nervous system was affected. My limbs didn't respond as they should and lightning pain went through every nerve. I started losing short term memory and had issues remembering words.

Later in December I was diagnosed with Ankolosing Spondylitis, Joint Hypermobility Syndrome, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Long Covid and Osteoarthritis throughout my body.

I was put on medications and told that I need physiotherapy, to see an Exercise Physiologist, Remedial Massages, Chiropractic and Podiatry.

All of this and I was trying to maintain a full-time job where I worked standing up, having to lift up to 15kg and some days would be 12 hour days. I had to stop working in 2024. My body collapsed.

I started getting different symptoms. I would lose my balance, having regular falls and my vision became affected. I could no longer read screens, books or look at anything without having either double vision or kaleidoscopic patterns.

I also had issues with loud noises. Even the cinema was too much. I have lived with tinnitus my whole life but it felt like someone had turned up the volume.

After another year of tests and Specialists and a scary event where I collapsed, my heart stopped and thankfully my husband was able to perform CPR. I was in hospital for almost 3 weeks going through a battery of tests and the Doctors still weren't sure what was wrong. I was sent to a Neurologist, and Ophthalmologist and a Neuro-Ophthalmologist and Audiologist. With all these tests I was diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder.

With all of these Specialists, tests and different medications it has completely drained all savings. My dear husband is now our sole income.

With the FND, part of the process is medication, Psychiatric, specialised Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy.

I now walk (when I can) permanently with a cane on good days, a mobility walker on medium days and the bad days I can't get out of bed at all.

I can not afford any of this Therapy. I scramble to get my medications every month. I have put off asking for help for the longest time but the pain is getting worse, joints are seizing up and I need medical intervention.

Ankolosing Spondylitis, Osteoarthritis and Functional Neurological Disorder are all degenerative, there is no cure.

Please help, if you can.

Much love and light