Hi, my name is Alexandra and I'm fundraising to try to help repair my life after leaving a very unstable living situation recently on very short notice (I am now in a safe home). I'm in quite the pickle of a situation as I was expecting my ODSP internal review to be a slam dunk given the combination of disabilities I have and the severity of what I live with - but instead, I was denied and I now have to wait until March 11, 2026 for my hearing. (That is ridiculous and unacceptable!)

I was also denied Legal Aid, as it appears my family doctor (who has been medically gaslighting me for over a decade) downplayed my disabilities in the ODSP report, even though I was there when she filled out the Activities of Daily Living and she was trying to argue with me during that. The downplaying was so bad that Legal Aid is refusing to help me.

I was foolishly depending on my ODSP backpay to come in to cover everything I was behind on as I was expecting to be approved for ODSP instead of being wrongfully denied because the DAU refuses to even read my application or internal review and handle it properly, I was especially relying on it to clear my debt - almost all of my debt is due to having to move on such short notice (not even 2 weeks notice).

I was living with someone after moving down south a few months back with a reduced rent cost as part of an agreement that I'd watch their kids 3 times a week and it very quickly became toxic - tons of gaslighting especially about my health and disabilities - it was only within a week or two that I was experiencing people arguing with me that I "wasn't disabled" despite the fact that I am in pain 24/7. For it to become agonizing, it only takes about an hour of walking in a day to have me nearly doubling over in pain. Tylenol, Advil, etc medications do not work - I've tried just about everything I can legally try. They have no impact.

I have multiple very disabling health conditions in my feet and lower legs, including myositis (autoimmune disorder in the muscles), permanent tendon damage (severe), arthritis of both ankle joints (also severe - nearly no cartilage left in my joints), and sinus tarsi syndrome - which is one of the most painful conditions you can have in the feet. Because of how severe especially my myositis, sinus tarsi syndrome and arthritis combine to be - I am in agonizing pain almost all of the time if I spend even a tiny bit of time walking. I use a cane if I have to be walking for more than ~30 minutes in any given outing, but that only helps support me as I struggle to walk through the pain - it does not prevent the agonizing pain or swelling.

Shortly after moving in to the place I was previously in, I was constantly threatened with homelessness over my "lies about being disabled", having the threat looming over my head at all times. I was told I was not allowed to stream or do pretty much anything that required intensive internet usage due to the internet being suitable for only a few people using it lightly (despite 6 people being in that apartment). That internet problem led me to leaving to go to the library and other comfortable locations more and more - and because I did this, despite barely walking each time I left (buses exist) - I was scrutinized nonstop and told that I was "clearly not disabled" if I was walking so much.

I very much am disabled despite the constant attempts to gaslight me - I am in nonstop agonizing pain, it doesn't change just because someone says "no you're not lol".

The internet was also fully monitored, instead of the obvious easy answer of the youngest 2 children not having internet access - all of the internet usage was fully visible, which was bragged about to my family members over text. As someone who has been in numerous traumatizing, controlling and downright abusive situations, monitoring with me not knowing about it until I was being threatened with homelessness - I found out through a third party - is pretty upsetting, but nowhere near the worst thing that happened to me there!

I was attempting to pay off my credit card when I was living there, however due to me having to move on such short notice - I am now $600 over my credit card limit, and I have no way of repairing this. I have over $1400 in debt from separate credit lines as well, and it is destroying my credit which is extremely hard to deal with as a disabled person.

I already can't find any jobs that would accommodate me, I'm already dealing with the DAU (including being told by someone at the DAU that they deny almost every initial ODSP application because they "get too many") and the DAU/ODSP mishandling my case and forcing me to go to the Social Benefits Tribunal - I have to use a cane a majority of the time I leave my home, and I have several disabling enough physical conditions on their own, never mind combined - and I have several mental health disorders including both PTSD (off books but this is an error of my past psychiatrist) and ADHD/depression/anxiety (all medicated).

I'm hoping to put at least $1,500 on my credit card to try to repair my credit, set aside money for rent ($600 monthly), pay off the ~$2,000 of loans for home items, and I have other essential items still missing (mattress, bed set) and upcoming costs (orthotics, winter items, transit costs, medical costs) that I need to pay for. Including food to stock up on.

I am hoping to have help to rebuild my life because I am at my wit's end and if I miss a single day of my medication I have several panic attacks a day. This country neglects if not downright abuses disabled people, I really did not need to deal with gaslighting and emotional abuse when I was just trying to move to an urban area down here, but alas - these are the cards I have been dealt and I just want to try to get on with healing now. It was bad enough getting medically gaslit by my family doctor for over a decade.

If I have any extra funds from this campaign whatsoever, they will go towards my ongoing living costs as well as to others who need help.

Please share, if you see this. I want to have some kind of control over my life back, and some kind of quality of living back. Thank you.