UPDATE: My new legs (aka) wheelchair will be here tomorrow!! I cannot express how thankful I am to everyone for helping!! After throwing my auction, I raised enough for my chair and to cover some bracing options! Any funding more will go straight to other disabled people who are needing immediate assistance with food or mobility aids and to my bracing/medical needs!!

State medical insurance will not cover an indoor/outdoor wheelchair that, (and I quote) "will go outside the home". They also no longer cover bracing, because they see it as "non essential". Help me aquire the ability to live more independently, while even possibly helping me change how state insurance operates for the disabled community.

*GOAL AMOUNT BREAKDOWN:

The Fold N Go chair is listed for $2999. Shipping & Taxes (I'm in Washington State) bring this price closer to $3400+. Fees for Go fund me are 2.9%, plus .30¢ per donation. This will come up to somewhere around $150. Custom Neck braces, extended to the upper back, cost up to $1000. This brings the total to $4550. The extra $100 is to help put that towards travel to see the orthotist who would fit me for the brace, as well as any related costs to that visit.*

My name is Braxtin and I have Ehlers-Danlos, among other diagnosis. Currently I am very limited in my ability to leave the home, because my current wheelchair is too heavy and has too many parts for me to move myself. I am an ambulatory wheelchair user, which means I am able to move my legs and can walk short distances, with my cane. With how my disorder is progressing though, I am now a wheelchair user 90% of the time. My partner just asked me to marry him, last Christmas and I'd love to have something I can use on our wedding too, to help me around.

My disorder, that I was born with, means all the collagen in my body is wonky. My joints, ligament & organs can't hold themselves together, so I deal with several dislocations, permanent tears, arthritis and more, on a daily basis. My disorder is a spectrum and I land on the side of losing my ability to walk.

My spine is 85% compromised, with my neck being the worst. I have neck dislocations daily and it is incredibly scary because the affects of my discs slipping could lead to serious life threatening issues. I also have Chiari Malformation, which is common for those of us with EDS (Ehlers-Danlos). Due to this, my brain is creating a lot of pressure and it is making it difficult to keep my balance, when standing.

Regular neck braces (I've tried them all unfortunately) either are too big, too small, or don't fit my neck safely. So I need a custom one made to ensure where my spine and neck meet, is protected as well.

State medical insurance will not cover this brace, nor will they cover a (and I quote) "Wheelchair that will go outside". State insurance does not feel that disabled people should be able to leave their home and live an independent life. It's incredibly frustrating and after searching for state grants to help, I've decided to listen to my friends and create this go fund me.

I struggle with asking for help, but maybe this go fund me can also bring about some change? Our State Representatives also need to hear how this oversight is making the disabled community even less able to contribute to society.

I'd love to be able to go to the store for food, take myself to necessary medical appointments, possibly see friends and even be able to work outside of my home. The wheelchair I am trying to get is an American made, Fold N' Go, with a special, one of a kind magnesium frame, with a built in shock absorption system. This would lessen my chances of whiplash and more neck dislocations, inside and out of the home. It would also allow me to lift and put the foldable chair in my car, by myself, due to the light, but durable nature.

The Fold N' Go:

I am doing everything I can to afford this on my own and my business, (some people know me as The Spork Witch) which actually revolves around creating topicals that help others have less pain. So I figured I may as well try to ask for help as well. I would so appreciate any help! Even comments, shares or sharing the information you've learned from my words, would be so appreciated.

After all, we cannot change the way things are if we do not know they need to be changed. Thank you so much!

Goal amount is for Fold N' Go chair, taxes, fees, shipping, fees for Go Fund Me & to help with meeting with a spine specialist for neck brace measurements & neck brace creation.

I love to spend time with my partner, kitties and our kiddos. I also love my small business and hope to change the world in better ways for the disabled community. I am lucky to have amazing friends and have done a lot of work on self healing to help me keep going. Most days I run on spite juice and stubbornness. I believe kindness is incredibly important to show because we never know what others are going through.