Help Pru find peace! And access mobility aid.

I always had migraines but since having covid almost 3 years ago everything has gotten so much worse.

I had Covid July of 2022 and by October I was told I had Long Covid and that is why my symptoms were still so bad. However, they never really got better. Since then I have been struggling to get the treatment I need, not only trying to be taken seriously as someone who “doesn’t look sick” but also because so many doctors write off womens pain as something normal. I was told to change my diet, which I did. To lose weight, which I couldn’t (even with a changed diet) I was given new medications whose side effects were worse than the relief any gave me.

After 2 years of almost fainting about once a day at least I was finally diagnosed with POTS. Which if you don’t know what it is ( I will provide a link with a little more detail) but it is Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome. “POTS is part of a group of disorders that feature orthostatic intolerance. Orthostatic intolerance is the term used to describe symptoms that occur when a person stands up and can be relieved by lying down. Symptoms of orthostatic intolerance, which often include dizziness or fainting, happen because not enough blood flows back to the heart when the person moves from a lying down or seated position to standing up.”

As most of you know I am a hairstylist and not being able to stand without feeling like I am going to faint has made working nearly impossible. Which is horrible because unlike so many people, I truly love my job. It is heartbreaking that my body has decided I can no longer do the things that I love and I have been pushing myself trying to make it work, but I have now reached the point that I am more often sick that not. I don’t remember the last time I had a good health day, and because of this I need to take a step back.

Unfortunately health care in this country is bleeding us dry and I can not afford to take the time off of work to get better and also afford the care that I need to be able to do so. I am asking for help from loved ones, family and my community. I know it is a tough time and I am sorry to even ask but I don’t know how much longer I can actually live under the current conditions I am pushing myself to.

What I need is help to get through a couple of months of living expenses and a mobility aid so that even when I am faint I can still manage to get around on my own. Anything at all is appreciated and helps more than you can imagine.

https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/disorders/postural-tachycardia-syndrome-pots