Thanks for looking at my story. I could really use your help.
I’m Lisa. If you don’t know me, I guess you could sum me up by saying I’m an animal lover, nature lover and have always been a peaceful, quiet, thoughtful type. I’m an observer. I’ve done a great many wonderful things in my life. I’m a geologist by degree. I’ve done many environmental cleanup projects, took the corporate executive route, started and operated a successful business and closed it (during the 2009 collapse), and have spent the last number of years painting homes, taking care of ponds and fish, and taking pictures.
Right now, I’m under attack by multiple autoimmune diseases, musculoskeletal disorders, cardiovascular issues and near complete inability to do anything.
I’m also facing homelessness because I’ve been unable to work. I’ve actually been asked to move and literally, without the ability to work or function have no options that I can see for new housing.
Also at risk is my ability to keep my “family” together.
This has been building for awhile
Since 2014, I’ve been seeing doctors about debilitating symptoms affecting numerous physical and mental/emotional systems. Extreme fatigue, bone and joint pain, tremors, vision problems, back and neck disasters and many more symptoms. Back then, after many tests, I was diagnosed with mono and told to take 2 months off and do nothing but rest.
A return visit 6 months later due to return of symptoms yielded a diagnosis of chronic mono, despite 2 specialists saying that those test results were being misinterpreted and I was not in active mono. My thyroid numbers have been off since my initial visit.
My ability to work has been diminished since 2014. Luckily, one of the contractors I worked for was kind enough to accept my shorter days and make up for some of the tasks I couldn’t do. It wasn’t paying the bills, but it was all I had so I had no choice to keep doing it. I applied for numerous jobs, but either my age or my lack of recent work record as a result of being self-employed or some other factor yielded no offers.
All Systems are Not Go
In October of 2018, I ended up in the Emergency Room. I had been becoming increasingly weak. Muscle weakness that made it difficult to walk 50 yards. Couldn’t lift my arms, had to put my car in park at traffic lights because I couldn’t keep the brake pedal down, flushing in the face, tingling hands, and one morning we added a goiter, a wicked tremor, palpitations, hypertension and a host of other things.
I was told that, had I not gone to the ER, I could have died due to a thing called thyroid storm. I was diagnosed with Grave’s Disease and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. The initial meds from the ER helped some symptoms and, after waiting 45 days to get in to see an endocrinologist, I’ve started treatment to get into remission.
New symptoms have developed. Bilateral joint pain and swelling. Hip pain to the point where I can barely walk in the mornings. Extreme back and neck pain, muscle pain to the point of not being able to touch my arms. Cramping, wrist snapping, all kinds of mayhem.
I’ve visited the ER more times in the last few months than in the entire rest of my 50+ years. Primarily for cardiac issues, which I’ve never had before now. Pretty scary stuff.
Last week, my GP noted a lupus rash on my face and has said that there are additional autoimmune disorders going on concurrently. We’re still waiting for some labs, but my Rheumatoid Factor is high and he was pretty sure because of my face that we’re dealing with lupus, and possibly also RA.
Between the autoimmune diseases, musculoskeletal and cardiovascular issues, and vision problems, I simply can not work right now. I can’t stand for long periods, can’t sit for long periods, can’t lift things, or do any kind of labor related tasks. I’m fatigued, malaised, and in quite a bit of pain. And I drop things. Not good, when painting in peoples homes. Not good for my coffee cups either.
I’m also now experiencing extreme anxiety, depression and powder-keg irritability. A brain fog has developed, along with a strange short term memory loss that has me always wondering why I’m in the room I’m in. I’ve always been an avid reader and now can’t get through 3 pages. My eloquent writing and speaking skills elude me.
Suddenly Facing Homelessness
It’s hard enough to be sick and scared. But in the last couple days, things have snowballed. I haven’t kept up with rent or utilities, so I’ve been asked to move. With nowhere to go and not having worked since October.
In addition to the idea of not having anywhere to live, the horrifying idea that I might have to let go of my family of dogs and cats is buckling me. They rescued me. They’re my family. I have to try to keep us together. It would destroy us not to be able to.
What I’m doing so far to fix things
I’m filing for disability. It’s a maze of paperwork and I’m seeking an advocacy group/atty to assist. I’ve learned enough to know that some of the disorders for which we’re still chasing exact diagnoses will be necessary for success.
Graves’ disease alone is not an eligible disability in the “blue book”. The fastest/next one will be to diagnose my back and hip problems, I’m seeing an ophthalmologist tomorrow about my blurry vision and ocular migraines, I have appointments with other specialists, but it takes a while (months) to get appointments. I’m having an ultrasound of my aorta and back xrays, and having my wrists assessed due to the telltale snapping and shooting pain.
I expect to have my initial application done within the next week or so. I’ve also learned that initial applications are often denied. This is not a short term solution.
Additionally, in considering what I have now that I can work with, I’m working to launch sales of my iPhoneography. I’ve been taking photos for years, and many have told me I should/could sell them. It’s actually something I can work on in short stints, with the flexibility to sit or stand and take breaks when my vision craps out or I have to rest my back.
I have started gathering my best photos into a gallery and am doing final edits to take to a printer I’ve found. I’ll need their help with color correction and print matching, at least initially. I’m working with backlit screens and they prints will need file adjustment.
I’m excited about the possibility and have talked to a number of people about websites, shows, displays and possibly a benefit show if I can find a venue. One obstacle right now is that I’ll need a little capital to get prints made and get a template website going. I’ll be updating this campaign with a gallery to show you, as I build.
How these funds will be used
I need firstly to secure housing and pay utilities, either where I am now or wherever I might end up. I truly hope that the kindness of understanding donors can help me to stay where I am and to have security and keep my family together until either I’m generating income with photos, get disability, or am healed up enough to get other work.
A smaller portion of these funds will be used to further my development of an income stream from my photos, as that’s what I’ve got in hand to work with.
Thank You
I can’t tell you how much it means to me for you to consider donating and sharing my story and my cause. Make no mistake, it’s very nearly the difference between life and death for me. Thank you.
How you can help
Any donation you can make will go a long way. It will take a village, so please share my story and this campaign if you can. You can share on social media, email or text, using the link.
I’m Lisa. If you don’t know me, I guess you could sum me up by saying I’m an animal lover, nature lover and have always been a peaceful, quiet, thoughtful type. I’m an observer. I’ve done a great many wonderful things in my life. I’m a geologist by degree. I’ve done many environmental cleanup projects, took the corporate executive route, started and operated a successful business and closed it (during the 2009 collapse), and have spent the last number of years painting homes, taking care of ponds and fish, and taking pictures.
Right now, I’m under attack by multiple autoimmune diseases, musculoskeletal disorders, cardiovascular issues and near complete inability to do anything.
I’m also facing homelessness because I’ve been unable to work. I’ve actually been asked to move and literally, without the ability to work or function have no options that I can see for new housing.
Also at risk is my ability to keep my “family” together.
This has been building for awhile
Since 2014, I’ve been seeing doctors about debilitating symptoms affecting numerous physical and mental/emotional systems. Extreme fatigue, bone and joint pain, tremors, vision problems, back and neck disasters and many more symptoms. Back then, after many tests, I was diagnosed with mono and told to take 2 months off and do nothing but rest.
A return visit 6 months later due to return of symptoms yielded a diagnosis of chronic mono, despite 2 specialists saying that those test results were being misinterpreted and I was not in active mono. My thyroid numbers have been off since my initial visit.
My ability to work has been diminished since 2014. Luckily, one of the contractors I worked for was kind enough to accept my shorter days and make up for some of the tasks I couldn’t do. It wasn’t paying the bills, but it was all I had so I had no choice to keep doing it. I applied for numerous jobs, but either my age or my lack of recent work record as a result of being self-employed or some other factor yielded no offers.
All Systems are Not Go
In October of 2018, I ended up in the Emergency Room. I had been becoming increasingly weak. Muscle weakness that made it difficult to walk 50 yards. Couldn’t lift my arms, had to put my car in park at traffic lights because I couldn’t keep the brake pedal down, flushing in the face, tingling hands, and one morning we added a goiter, a wicked tremor, palpitations, hypertension and a host of other things.
I was told that, had I not gone to the ER, I could have died due to a thing called thyroid storm. I was diagnosed with Grave’s Disease and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. The initial meds from the ER helped some symptoms and, after waiting 45 days to get in to see an endocrinologist, I’ve started treatment to get into remission.
New symptoms have developed. Bilateral joint pain and swelling. Hip pain to the point where I can barely walk in the mornings. Extreme back and neck pain, muscle pain to the point of not being able to touch my arms. Cramping, wrist snapping, all kinds of mayhem.
I’ve visited the ER more times in the last few months than in the entire rest of my 50+ years. Primarily for cardiac issues, which I’ve never had before now. Pretty scary stuff.
Last week, my GP noted a lupus rash on my face and has said that there are additional autoimmune disorders going on concurrently. We’re still waiting for some labs, but my Rheumatoid Factor is high and he was pretty sure because of my face that we’re dealing with lupus, and possibly also RA.
Between the autoimmune diseases, musculoskeletal and cardiovascular issues, and vision problems, I simply can not work right now. I can’t stand for long periods, can’t sit for long periods, can’t lift things, or do any kind of labor related tasks. I’m fatigued, malaised, and in quite a bit of pain. And I drop things. Not good, when painting in peoples homes. Not good for my coffee cups either.
I’m also now experiencing extreme anxiety, depression and powder-keg irritability. A brain fog has developed, along with a strange short term memory loss that has me always wondering why I’m in the room I’m in. I’ve always been an avid reader and now can’t get through 3 pages. My eloquent writing and speaking skills elude me.
Suddenly Facing Homelessness
It’s hard enough to be sick and scared. But in the last couple days, things have snowballed. I haven’t kept up with rent or utilities, so I’ve been asked to move. With nowhere to go and not having worked since October.
In addition to the idea of not having anywhere to live, the horrifying idea that I might have to let go of my family of dogs and cats is buckling me. They rescued me. They’re my family. I have to try to keep us together. It would destroy us not to be able to.
What I’m doing so far to fix things
I’m filing for disability. It’s a maze of paperwork and I’m seeking an advocacy group/atty to assist. I’ve learned enough to know that some of the disorders for which we’re still chasing exact diagnoses will be necessary for success.
Graves’ disease alone is not an eligible disability in the “blue book”. The fastest/next one will be to diagnose my back and hip problems, I’m seeing an ophthalmologist tomorrow about my blurry vision and ocular migraines, I have appointments with other specialists, but it takes a while (months) to get appointments. I’m having an ultrasound of my aorta and back xrays, and having my wrists assessed due to the telltale snapping and shooting pain.
I expect to have my initial application done within the next week or so. I’ve also learned that initial applications are often denied. This is not a short term solution.
Additionally, in considering what I have now that I can work with, I’m working to launch sales of my iPhoneography. I’ve been taking photos for years, and many have told me I should/could sell them. It’s actually something I can work on in short stints, with the flexibility to sit or stand and take breaks when my vision craps out or I have to rest my back.
I have started gathering my best photos into a gallery and am doing final edits to take to a printer I’ve found. I’ll need their help with color correction and print matching, at least initially. I’m working with backlit screens and they prints will need file adjustment.
I’m excited about the possibility and have talked to a number of people about websites, shows, displays and possibly a benefit show if I can find a venue. One obstacle right now is that I’ll need a little capital to get prints made and get a template website going. I’ll be updating this campaign with a gallery to show you, as I build.
How these funds will be used
I need firstly to secure housing and pay utilities, either where I am now or wherever I might end up. I truly hope that the kindness of understanding donors can help me to stay where I am and to have security and keep my family together until either I’m generating income with photos, get disability, or am healed up enough to get other work.
A smaller portion of these funds will be used to further my development of an income stream from my photos, as that’s what I’ve got in hand to work with.
Thank You
I can’t tell you how much it means to me for you to consider donating and sharing my story and my cause. Make no mistake, it’s very nearly the difference between life and death for me. Thank you.
How you can help
Any donation you can make will go a long way. It will take a village, so please share my story and this campaign if you can. You can share on social media, email or text, using the link.