Support Sam's Essential Caregiver and Survival Expenses

*See latest updates for current info*

Hello! I'm Sam (she/her), a person living with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS). M.E. is a life-altering multi-system complex, chronic disease that impairs energy production in the body and causes abnormal recovery response to exertion (called Post Exertion Malaise or P.E.M.). Due to a COVID-19 infection in early 2024 my ME/CFS worsened from mild/moderate to moderate/severe. This has significantly reduced my exertion (energy) threshold. This has made it necessary for me to hire a caregiver to ensure I have the support I need in order to care for myself and maintain my home as a clean, safe environment in which to live, work, and recover.

As I rest and pace my way back towards a better baseline (and hopefully a return to full time work), retaining my caregiver is an essential part of the support my body needs to continue making progress. I have already seen marked improvements since hiring my caregiver in October 2024! However, my health insurance does not cover any of the cost of my caregiver and I cannot continue to pay out of pocket for 100% of this necessary support. I am asking for your help to raise funds to maintain this vital part of my support system as my chronically ill & disabled body recovers from the impact of COVID-19 on my ME/CFS.

So what does a caregiver do? My caregiver visits me once a week for a few hours to handle specific tasks that would trigger severe P.E.M. if I were to do them myself. Some examples include:

Changing bed linens

Washing & folding laundry

Vacuuming & mopping floors

Taking out the trash

Preparing meals

How does this make a difference for me? Having this kind of support reduces my risk of severe P.E.M. and allows me to pace my energy spending. Pacing is the main tool for managing and reducing symptom severity in M.E. Being able to pace better and avoid P.E.M. means an overall improved quality of life, reduced stress, and an increased energy budget.

Thank you for taking the time to read a bit about my needs. Every share and gift makes a difference. The final goal amount of $2520 would cover 12 weeks of caregiver support (that's three full months of care and symptom improvement!). All gifts will go towards paying for my caregiver and any gifts beyond the goal amount will go towards additional weeks of caregiver support.