Help Kayla Gain Freedom
Hello!
My name is Kayla Broday. I live in the Chicago land area and I am disabled by chronic illness. I have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, Mass Cell Activation Syndrome, Chronic Migraines, and Costochondritis. I have more but those are the debilitating ones (more info below). I am raising money so that I can get a wheelchair that I can push myself and other mobility aids. My illnesses constantly fluctuate causing me to need different mobility aids depending on the day. My health has gotten to the point where sometimes a walker isn’t enough. I have been stuck in my home at the whim of my body. A wheelchair and the other mobility aids would give me the freedom to go out when I’m not feeling well or even not feeling well enough to stand or walk.
I also need to raise money for other mobility aids since the ones I have are old and not fit for my needs.
The only problem is, I cannot afford a wheelchair or other mobility aids that would fit my needs. I would be so grateful for any donations you can make because it brings me that much closer to independence.
Here are the aids I need:
1 Fold and Go all terrain wheelchair 
2 Donjoy Reaction web knee support braces
2 Ankle Support Braces
1 Posture Correcter
2 Wrist Support Braces
1 Spartos Shoulder Brace
1 Pembroke Wheelchair Side Bag
1 CHUCHIK Fidget Toy (to stop anxiety driven tics)
Here’s a list of some of my illnesses, their descriptions, and symptoms:
Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is a group of genetic disorders that affect the connective tissues in your body, which serve to provide strength and elasticity to your body structure. So the glue that holds my body together is defective and it causes joint pain and dislocations.
POTS is a form of dysautonomia, a disorder of the autonomic nervous system. This branch of the nervous system regulates functions we don’t consciously control, such as heart rate, blood pressure, sweating and body temperature. The key characteristics of POTS are the specific symptoms and the exaggerated increase in heart rate when standing. My symptoms include Severe and/or long-lasting fatigue, Lightheadedness with prolonged sitting or standing that can lead to fainting, Brain fog: trouble focusing, remembering or paying attention, Forceful heartbeats or heart palpitations (a feeling of the heart-pounding or skipping a beat), Nausea and vomiting, Headaches, Excessive sweating, Shakiness, Intolerance of exercise or a prolonged worsening of general symptoms after increased activity, and A pale face and purple discoloration of the hands and feet if the limbs are lower than the level of the heart.
More info on POTS here.
Mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) is one type of mast cell activation disorder (MCAD) and is an immunological condition in which mast cells inappropriately and excessively release chemical mediators, resulting in a range of chronic symptoms, sometimes including anaphylaxis or near-anaphylaxis attacks. My symptoms include Anaphylaxis, Flushing of the face, neck, and chest, Itching, +/- rash, Hives, skin rashes, Angioedema (swelling), Nasal itching and congestion, Wheezing and shortness of breath, Throat itching and swelling, Headache and/or brain fog, cognitive dysfunction, anxiety, depression, Diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, bloating, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Bone/muscle pain, Light-headedness, syncope/fainting, Rapid heart rate, chest pain, low blood pressure, high blood pressure at the start of a reaction, blood pressure instability, Uterine cramps or bleeding.
More info on MCAS here.
