Help Courtney Get Back On Her Feet!
Donation protected
My name is Courtney Hembrow. I am 24 years of age, and suffer from a chronic pain condition called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, along side stage 3 Endometriosis. The last 6 months has been unbelievably challenging. At the beginning I had no idea how much this nightmare would begin to not only take over my life, but also that of my boyfriend and parents. My journey through this roller coaster began on the 11th of August, and little did I know that this would be the last time I walked in 2018.
Following a two month stint in hospital, I was diagnosed with CRPS. Complex Regional Pain Syndrome is a rare and debilitating disease nicknamed ‘the suicide disease’. It effects the nervous system, sending it into over drive by passing excessive pain signals through the body to the limb that has been compromised by some sort of injury. Unfortunately for me, I fractured the heel of my right foot. The pain I have to endure on a daily basis is far worse than any fracture should cause. The CRPS makes my foot swell up to double its normal size and turn blue or purple looking as though it is dying. It becomes freezing cold which causes immense amounts of pain, but the worst part is the extremely heightened sensitivity. Just the weight of a bed sheet was too much in the early stages of my diagnosis.
CRPS does not only effect people physically, but is a massive burden mentally. For me I struggle to find my words, or to remember a whole lot. I have become extremely anxious, and struggle with depression as my quality of life isn't there at this point in time. I find it difficult in loud spaces and social situations with large amounts of people. This makes it hard for my friends to be there for me. Everyday interactions are exhausting, which limits my ability to follow through with some of my rehabilitation. The thing that bothers me the most is how people see me now. I'm not the bright bubbly outgoing person I was before this happened. I'm now a young woman in a wheel chair. My friends and family don't know what to do or say, some feel uncomfortable. Strangers stare as though I was something hideous, so please if you ever see someone in a wheel chair or with a disability and you find yourself looking at them, smile, you have no idea how much of a difference it will make. My CRPS and mental health have deteriorated dramatically in recent times, and at an extremely fast rate.
I need to take a large amount of opioids for pain relief and medication for anxiety, depression and sleep. Sleep deprivation is another trigger for CRPS sufferers. I have had many admissions in hospital for Ketamine Infusions to help with the pain. I have now come to a point where the high usage of drugs have actually exacerbated my condition. The life I had planned for the next 5 years has now been put on hold.
Having CRPS has taken a lot away from me, but the thing I struggle with the most is the loss of my independence. I have been in a wheel chair for the last 6 months which has been an extremely hard adjustment.
Instead of going to gigs, traveling, enjoying my friends company, my life has become a series of appointments and all I can think about is my recovery, what medications come next or do I have enough energy to go to rehab today. I go to a Rehabilitation Hospital twice a week to do hydrotherapy and physiotherapy. I see my leading physiotherapist once or sometimes twice a week. I see both a psychologist and a pain specialist once a week. My recovery has reached a point in which I am now needing to begin more necessary therapies for my recovery, such as acupuncture and hydrotherapy daily. My pain levels require me to take 8 different pain medications numerous times each day.
All of these therapies and medications have taken, and will continue to take a massive financial strain on not only me, but my parents and boyfriend. All of my practitioners and specialists have told me that a large part of my recovery and a pivotal part of me being able to move forward is to create a positive, stress free environment. I have been told to keep calm as possible, do things I enjoy and that make me happy and try to keep my life as normal as possible but this is extremely hard with the burden of financial stress lingering over my head. I do receive government assistance which is only $250 per week but this is no where near enough, as my weekly costs just covering my everyday bills and medical expenses is $820, despite having private health cover.
My parents and my partner have been more than generous, offering everything they have to get me the help I need. While I am appreciative, I am hoping that the public could please help me in my journey. I am totally outside of my comfort zone in asking for help, especially financial help and in such a public way. I am hoping my friends, family and any other kind souls are willing to donate a few dollars to help me out. Anything would be helpful as these costs aren't getting less and I have no way of making money in my condition. The treatment will cost upwards of $15,000 as there is no real end date, with CRPS everyone has different experiences and with it being so rare no one can offer me a prognosis. The more money I have, the more therapies I can partake in to get back to the life I once had. I have linked some videos of my rehabilitation so you can see the pain I am dealing with, but also the slow progress I have been making. The end doesn't feel anywhere near, but your financial and emotional support will go a long way to accelerating the process!
I am forever grateful for any support given, and you will never know how much a small donation will help me in my journey to be pain free!
Thank you!
Love, Courtney
A video of my progress below.
https://www.facebook.com/pauline.hembrow.9/videos/2423289564410614/


Following a two month stint in hospital, I was diagnosed with CRPS. Complex Regional Pain Syndrome is a rare and debilitating disease nicknamed ‘the suicide disease’. It effects the nervous system, sending it into over drive by passing excessive pain signals through the body to the limb that has been compromised by some sort of injury. Unfortunately for me, I fractured the heel of my right foot. The pain I have to endure on a daily basis is far worse than any fracture should cause. The CRPS makes my foot swell up to double its normal size and turn blue or purple looking as though it is dying. It becomes freezing cold which causes immense amounts of pain, but the worst part is the extremely heightened sensitivity. Just the weight of a bed sheet was too much in the early stages of my diagnosis.
CRPS does not only effect people physically, but is a massive burden mentally. For me I struggle to find my words, or to remember a whole lot. I have become extremely anxious, and struggle with depression as my quality of life isn't there at this point in time. I find it difficult in loud spaces and social situations with large amounts of people. This makes it hard for my friends to be there for me. Everyday interactions are exhausting, which limits my ability to follow through with some of my rehabilitation. The thing that bothers me the most is how people see me now. I'm not the bright bubbly outgoing person I was before this happened. I'm now a young woman in a wheel chair. My friends and family don't know what to do or say, some feel uncomfortable. Strangers stare as though I was something hideous, so please if you ever see someone in a wheel chair or with a disability and you find yourself looking at them, smile, you have no idea how much of a difference it will make. My CRPS and mental health have deteriorated dramatically in recent times, and at an extremely fast rate.
I need to take a large amount of opioids for pain relief and medication for anxiety, depression and sleep. Sleep deprivation is another trigger for CRPS sufferers. I have had many admissions in hospital for Ketamine Infusions to help with the pain. I have now come to a point where the high usage of drugs have actually exacerbated my condition. The life I had planned for the next 5 years has now been put on hold.
Having CRPS has taken a lot away from me, but the thing I struggle with the most is the loss of my independence. I have been in a wheel chair for the last 6 months which has been an extremely hard adjustment.
Instead of going to gigs, traveling, enjoying my friends company, my life has become a series of appointments and all I can think about is my recovery, what medications come next or do I have enough energy to go to rehab today. I go to a Rehabilitation Hospital twice a week to do hydrotherapy and physiotherapy. I see my leading physiotherapist once or sometimes twice a week. I see both a psychologist and a pain specialist once a week. My recovery has reached a point in which I am now needing to begin more necessary therapies for my recovery, such as acupuncture and hydrotherapy daily. My pain levels require me to take 8 different pain medications numerous times each day.
All of these therapies and medications have taken, and will continue to take a massive financial strain on not only me, but my parents and boyfriend. All of my practitioners and specialists have told me that a large part of my recovery and a pivotal part of me being able to move forward is to create a positive, stress free environment. I have been told to keep calm as possible, do things I enjoy and that make me happy and try to keep my life as normal as possible but this is extremely hard with the burden of financial stress lingering over my head. I do receive government assistance which is only $250 per week but this is no where near enough, as my weekly costs just covering my everyday bills and medical expenses is $820, despite having private health cover.
My parents and my partner have been more than generous, offering everything they have to get me the help I need. While I am appreciative, I am hoping that the public could please help me in my journey. I am totally outside of my comfort zone in asking for help, especially financial help and in such a public way. I am hoping my friends, family and any other kind souls are willing to donate a few dollars to help me out. Anything would be helpful as these costs aren't getting less and I have no way of making money in my condition. The treatment will cost upwards of $15,000 as there is no real end date, with CRPS everyone has different experiences and with it being so rare no one can offer me a prognosis. The more money I have, the more therapies I can partake in to get back to the life I once had. I have linked some videos of my rehabilitation so you can see the pain I am dealing with, but also the slow progress I have been making. The end doesn't feel anywhere near, but your financial and emotional support will go a long way to accelerating the process!
I am forever grateful for any support given, and you will never know how much a small donation will help me in my journey to be pain free!
Thank you!
Love, Courtney
A video of my progress below.
https://www.facebook.com/pauline.hembrow.9/videos/2423289564410614/
Co-organizers (3)
Courtney Hembrow
Organizer
Fulham Gardens, SA
Brooke Testi
Co-organizer
Deborah Schutz
Co-organizer