Hello! My name is Franny and I'm asking for your support. I am a creative, kind, and determined 25 year old. I'm also chronically ill, which is why we're here.
Usually when I tell someone I'm  sick, they respond “I hope you feel better soon”. For the longest time I never knew how to reply. Eventually I settled on “Thanks, I hope so too! Even if if I don't, I'll be ok.”

That’s the truth . Despite being sick for over a decade, I haven’t gotten better yet. That doesn’t mean I won’t, there’s just still so much to figure out. Life doesn’t just stop while I'm waiting for answers. I have to keep moving forward, and I’m hoping you can help me.


My Story so far: Over the last ten years I’ve been diagnosed, misdiagnosed, re-diagnosed so many times I’ve lost track. I’ve heard  “I don’t know how to help you” and “I don’t know what’s wrong with you” so often that I could make a mixtape.

As of right now I'm diagnosed with: POTS, Ehlers Danlos syndrome, mast cell activation syndrome, gastroparesis, Hashimoto’s, endometriosis, idiopathic reactive hypoglycemia, migraines, anemia, and some sort of bleeding/clotting disorder.

On any given day I might experience tachycardia, fatigue, dizziness and fainting, nausea, low blood sugar,  joint pain/instability, neuropathy, allergic reactions, and most recently episodes of hearing loss. I have other unexplained symptoms that can’t be attributed to any of my conditions, but I’m not going to ask you to read all of that. 


So, now what? I like to believe I’ve made progress with coming to terms with my limitations, but life is dynamic by nature and so is my health. It’s an ongoing process with a lot of trial and error. Many of my conditions don’t have a cure, only treatments. 
My new ‘normal’ is learning how to care and how to be indifferent, sometimes at the same time. It’s gotten easier to brush it off when strangers make insensitive comments, stare at my walker, or give me unsolicited medical advice. I no longer feel guilty if I need to fire an unhelpful doctor, or get a second/third/fifth opinion. I’ve learned how to care about myself and to be my own advocate. Perhaps most importantly, I’ve learned how to empathize with other people in a way I never could before.


Why crowdfunding? Essentially, I have had to adapt. I make do, I hang in there, I keep going even when it feels like it’ll kill me. Right now, adapting means asking for your help. It means admitting that I can’t do this by myself and reaching out for support.
Nobody ever tells you that being chronically ill  will drain you in ways you can’t anticipate, including financially. Even though I have 3 kinds of health insurance, I still have out of pocket expenses. That’s on top of rent, bills, groceries, and other essentials. There’s no way for me to financially cover everything, so I’ve applied for multiple grants and assistance programs. I’m going to continue applying but unfortunately, many programs are either temporarily closed or have extremely long waitlists. In the meantime, I am asking for donations to help with these costs including:

Transportation 
This is probably the most important thing right now. I am in desperate need of a car. I’ve finally been released from the DMV medical review program and can get my license! Right now I rely almost exclusively on rideshare services or Amtrak. Both of these are expensive, often inaccessible, and currently very risky due to the pandemic. A car would solve my transportation difficulties by allowing me to safely look for new housing, to travel for medical appointments out of the area, and much more.

Funding to hire a care aide
My insurance approved coverage for a home health aide for 12 hours per week, but due to COVID and staff shortages, there aren’t any available. I rely on an aide to help with laundry, shopping, and many other day to day tasks.

Out of pocket medical expenses like:
-CGM sensors which are ~$150 a month, and backup finger stick supplies
-Infusions and infusion supplies 
-Medications not covered by insurance and certain OTC meds, which are $40+/month