Hello everyone, my name is Rachel. Some of you may know me as Ashling. Thank you for taking a moment of your precious time to read this. I truly appreciate it

I'm 34 years old and have been living with chronic, debilitating illness for over a decade. One of my conditions is an autoimmune disease called psoriatic arthritis, which weakens my immune system and puts me at high risk for complications during surgery. I also have a history of severe allergic reactions to multiple antibiotics, including anaphylaxis, which makes infection control a critical and complex issue for me.

To date, I’ve undergone around 26 surgeries, and I’m currently on waiting lists for multiple procedures, including a gallbladder removal, an endoscopy/colonoscopy, and hopefully a hysterectomy (We found precancerous cells during this debacle). I face elevated risks for all of these procedures due to my medical background. I need to regain some mobility and strength before these procedures, or I fear I won’t be able to recover safely, especially since I have almost no one I can rely on for daily help.

The Current Crisis

In early June, I had an emergency procedure to remove an IUD that was suspected to have perforated my uterus. The procedure itself seemed successful, but when I returned home, I was suddenly unable to walk.

It felt like molten metal rods were jammed through my lower back and straight down my entire left leg. The pain was electric, burning, and unbearable. I couldn't sit. I couldn’t stand. My leg began to give out as I was walking or standing, leading to multiple falls, and I currently spend my days lying on a bed or a mat on the floor.

Everyday tasks are almost impossible:

• I’m losing weight because I struggle to feed myself. (This would be welcomed if it was not making my gallbladder situation worse)

• Showering has become dangerous. Most of my falls have happened there, I'm working on getting a shower chair.

• Going to the toilet is so painful that I avoid it until I can’t anymore.

• Even sleeping hurts... I get maybe 3 hours a night after hours of agony and writhing around on my bed exhausts me enough to sleep

• I have been in too much pain to maintain my friendships, and that has been impacting me heavily

• If I do go outside, I often have to get on all fours, or lay down in public, which has understandably alarmed strangers. I usually smile and say, “It’s just my back,” and let them move on. I'm obviously struggling a lot, but I just want to be unobstructive.

Diagnosis & Treatment

During a follow-up MRI (which was meant to examine my uterus), the radiologist also caught sight of my spine. The report found a large disc protrusion at L5-S1, which is compressing the left S1 nerve root, which is exactly what my physiotherapist had suspected during our initial consultation. My severely bulging disc is causing sciatica. The pain is horrendous, the mobility issues are the most concerning issue. My doctor/GP wanted to refer me to a spinal surgeon right away. However, because of my being high risk with surgery, we’re focusing on physiotherapy first to hopefully avoid further complications.

I’m seeing a specialist physiotherapist now, and thankfully, we're seeing progress, but this treatment is going to take at least 6 to 12 months, and I’m unable to cover the costs. I’m currently living on disability due to my pre-existing conditions, and there’s just no way I can afford this therapy on my own. No charitable options can provide the specific help I need due to frequency, and a very long wait time.

What the Funds Will Cover

I'm asking for help to cover 3 to 6 months of ongoing physiotherapy, and perhaps hydrotherapy, which will cost at least $150 a week. Your support will help me:

• Manage my pain and improve mobility

• Hopefully avoid a high risk spinal surgery, if possible

• Prepare my body for other critical upcoming surgeries

• Reclaim my basic independence and dignity, and overall improve my mental health

If the physiotherapy ultimately doesn’t work fully, and I need surgery, the funds will still go toward rehabilitation therapy afterwards.

If my goal is met, $400 will also go towards an appointment with my rheumatologist, who will write a supporting letter to the NDIS (Australia’s National Disability Insurance Scheme), helping me qualify for more in-home assistance... Something I desperately need for daily care and safety.

Thank you again

It’s hard for me to ask for help, most of the time I will just go without... Or grin and bear it, but I’m out of options. I’m in pain, isolated, and doing my best to get better with what little energy I have left. I can't do this alone anymore.

If you’ve read this far, thank you so much. Even if you can’t donate, I appreciate that you took the time to read this. For those who do donate, every little bit brings me closer to healing and gives me hope that I can get my life back.