Hi, my name is Lauren. I have been diagnosed with a very aggressive form of Multiple Sclerosis. I was misdiagnosed in 2013 as having a mini stroke in my visual cortex of my brain. I spent seven years telling doctors I was sick and was told that it was all in my head.

Flash forward to 2020 I woke up one day on vacation unable to use my right leg to walk functionally. I began to lose my vision and was finally diagnosed with MS with significant damage to my spine (43 lesions by the time I was diagnosed).

Over the course of the past few years I have been diagnosed as legally blind (which did improve so now I am considered visually impaired) however can no longer walk or even stand on my own. I rely on nursing care Monday through Friday as I cannot even get in and out of bed myself anymore. I currently live in a two-story house and I am unable to even use a chairlift because it is too dangerous to transfer to.

I have spent over a year, trying to figure out how to maintain living in the house I love and the house that I brought my baby girl home to- also to try and not change her life as much as possible as I know my diagnosis has affected her. This no longer possible as I have to stay on one floor every day without access to outside without assistance.

I dedicated my life to working with people with disabilities since I was 16 years old and I can no longer do what has always made my heart happy although I hope maybe one day I can- maybe a cure is still possible in my lifetime. Maybe one day I’ll be on top of a mountain again- but for now I need to survive and make my life as functional as possible.

So here is where I ask for your help. Financially, this disability has been a massive burden between assistive equipment, medical supplies, infusions, and disease modifying therapies and privately paying for nursing because I do not qualify in other ways (this medical system is beyond broken).

My family and myself recently purchased a ranch house which would allow me access to the whole house and outside-, however, I need to put in a wheelchair lift in the garage to access in and out of the house. I also need to have doorways widened, a new bathroom put in that is ADA accessible, as well as modify the kitchen, so it is accessible to me. The modifications are costly, and we have been struggling just to pay astronomical deductibles, treatments, getting into the new house, nursing etc…

So please, if there is anyway, you could help me raise money to renovate the inside of the house so I can live a functional life independently within my own home I will forever be grateful. This is a move. I have to make because as of yet this disease is still rapidly progressing in many ways. Just being able to independently go outside on my lawn- will be life changing.

Thank you so much for taking time out of your day to read this and I hope everyone is doing well.

Lauren