Thank you for clicking on lil’ ol me. I need your help, internet stranger! Grab a coffee or tea or something, and prepare to hear yourself quite a tale! In the spring of 2020, I was infected with COVID-19 and became severely ill. I went on to develop the Post Acute Sequelae of Covid, or PASC (often described in the media and online as “Long Covid.”) PASC has impacted every single aspect of my life. Some greatest hits of the past few years include & crashing/coding in the hospital from cardiac arrest, being on stroke watch with blood clots and an arterial dissection in my brainstem, occasionally needing an assistive device to safely ambulate, and needing an expensive chemotherapy/immunotherapy infusion every 8 weeks in order to stand, move, and walk. Before my COVID infection, I lived with a brain injury as a result of a pulmonary embolism-related stroke caused by a rare genetic autoimmune condition. The post acute sequelae of covid has further weakened my already tenuous health. Along with intense pain, fatigue, heart problems, GI issues, and neurological damage, Long Covid also causes its own intense mental health complications. The depression, anxiety, and dissociation as well as the complete disruption of my central nervous and autonomic systems are utterly crippling. Sometimes it is all I can do to keep fighting. The only thing worse than dealing with this terrible disease is knowing there is an entire political and social movement dedicated to pretending people like me don’t exist. We do, and I do, and I’ve been struggling. I’ve spent roughly a year and a half of the last three years in the hospital. I check in with multiple specialists month to month. My medical bills have completely surpassed my ability to cope with them. I am receiving disability- but as many people are now experiencing- my benefit was cut by about 500 dollars back in January. I am also owed over 4, 000 in back disability payments, which I have yet to see. I have been unsuccessful in my attempts to mediate with the benefit offices, and I am now legitimately afraid further action on my behalf will result in a loss of what little I am able to receive. Since April of 2020, I have needed physical therapy, occupational therapy, home nursing, monthly and bi monthly infusions, oodles of expensive medications and tests with intermittent insurance coverage. I’ve dealt with all of this while “recovering “ at home between frequent hospitalizations. I put that word in quotes because there is no known cure for Long Covid, especially when the patient has very serious pre-existing conditions and disabilities. It’s anyone’s guess how I’ll be feeling on any given day or week. This makes work and working very difficult. I perform and work as a vocal coach when I can, but there are times when I’m unable to work for days, weeks, or even months at a stretch. Such is the nature of Long Covid. I will ALWAYS strive to coach and gig as much as I am able- but there is a limit to what I can handle on my own right now- and as much as I hate to ask for it - I need help. The amount of money that I am asking for will cover the aforementioned amount that I have yet to receive– and may never receive– in back disability. It also will cover the amount that was taken out of my benefit payments these last few months. I will use these funds for medication, hospital bills, transportation to and from appointments, and probably to pay a portion of my rent that my current fixed disability income does not cover. In addition to my 3 year unpaid gig as a full time Long Hauler, I am also a cabaret singer, actor, and writer. My art has helped me in my journey to heal- and time spent not tearing my hair out over how to make ends meet means more time to make art when my body allows. Thank you so much, fellow browser of the internet, for taking the time to read this and for giving what you can, if you can. If you cannot donate, please share this. Above all, if you happen to know someone suffering with Long Covid, PLEASE check on them and tell them that they are seen, loved , and most importantly- very real, ❤️✨