<div>It was mid August 2022. I was in Denver, CO and excited to go out for the night with a girlfriend when I put on my heels and noticed that something felt off… I didn’t quite have the balance and groundedness that I was used to, no matter how high of a heel I was wearing. Little did I know that a year and a half from then I would be in a wheelchair.
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<div>It was a few days after that night that I was able to recognize that I had numbness in the ball of my right foot that radiated out into my toes. It was strange for sure, but I didn’t really know what to do about it. Within the next month, I ended up traveling to Austin, TX where I then moved to be part of a project 45 minutes west of the city in a small town called Spicewood.
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<div>As I began to settle in, I noticed things getting stranger and stranger in my body, mostly related to balance. I ended up getting a recommendation to see a chiropractor. That initial visit an x-ray indicated that I had a lot of outward rotation in my right hip and my right heel was about an inch and a half shorter than my left, I was assured that this was treatable. It was a pinched nerve that I was dealing with, and I would be better in no time. Just a few weeks into treatment, despite the chiropractor being happy with my physical adjustment and alignments I was having more and more stability issues, gait issues and challenges walking upstairs or uphill if there wasn’t a handrail.
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<div>I continued to get regular adjustments and added in some strength training exercises. However things were not getting better. One morning I woke up and I had numbness in all 10 fingertips. By January 2023 I was walking with a walking stick to be able to support me in navigating the world.
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<div>By the end of February, I had blood tests and MRIs done which all came back relatively normal other than some high B6 and I started working with a functional neurologist. Through adjustments, various treatments and physical therapy in his office I did see some improvement, but nothing really major. I thought perhaps Pilates would be a great way for me to build strength and rebuild my body, however, after a 30 minute intro class I had over worked my system. I had walked in without the use of a walking stick, however walking out was quite difficult and I required utilizing the wall to get back to my car.
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<div>A few weeks later, when walking into the pet store to get food for my animals, my right knee buckled underneath me I fell and ended up fracturing my right ankle. Luckily there was no surgery required, but being in a walking boot and needing to use a Rollator for support drastically limited mobility, and I began to rapidly lose muscle mass and weight.
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<div>Throughout all of this, I was working with a client as an online business manager and sales Director and making pretty decent money. I was able to attend Dr. Joe Dispenza’s weeklong advanced retreat in Cancun in June 2023. I was so blessed to be a Healee at the event. While I did not have a full miracle recovery, I did see drastic improvement in my mobility during that week that I was there. It was very disappointing to return home from a long day of international travel, and realize I had lost most of what I had gained.
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<div>For a while, things seemed pretty steady, and I thought that I was perhaps on top of things, however, in early fall, I started to see a rapid decline in my functionality. I was able to finally get into a neurologist, the waitlist to see one or horrific, and in November I was diagnosed with an autoimmune condition called chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP).
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<div>I began the suggested treatments of steroids and IVIG infusion treatments, which seemed to stop my symptoms from progressing, but didn’t really do anything for Healing.
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<div>Of course the western Medicine model just throws their hands up at auto immune and says "Whoops. The body is confused" despite my asking for more testing to identify where the hidden infection or pathogens may be. I had reached out to several functional medicine doctors in my area and heard back from none of them. Apparently no one was taking new clients or even able to respond to let them know.
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<div>By this point, I was also unable to drive and living very isolated and alone, responsible for my own income and well-being and now needing to pay for support around my home and food prep because I was no longer able to do it myself, and there were no resources in the area to support me.
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<div>Fast forward to February 2024, and in a very wild turn of events on a day in which I had been feeling my best and strongest turned into an ambulance ride to the emergency room when I tripped and fell, resulting in a fractured hip that required surgery. There was a month in hospital and inpatient rehab to be able to regain my strength and ability to navigate life on my own again with a wheelchair and walker.
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<div>All the while, I was wishing that I was somewhere else. Somewhere with more community. Sedona came to mind often, yet I was stuck in how I could make that happen both financially and physically.
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<div>Eventually, the universe forced my hand when I had a client last minute back out of a verbal agreement for a new contract the end of May. I was shocked, however, I had two referrals come in right afterwards, so I figured everything would work itself out. It did, but not in the way that I thought it would…
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<div>Those clients didn’t book with me and come June 1st I was unable to pay rent. After a lot of effort to bring in more money and a lot of prayer, I finally got the message that I was to put in my notice. I was in a month-to-month lease and had already paid last month’s rent. I made a few phone calls and within a few hours had to place up in Sedona to live and a friend who would drive out to help me pack up and drive me back from Texas to Arizona as I was physically unable to do any of that myself.
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<div>Once those pieces lined up, I thought for sure new work would come in, and I would be able to cover all of the costs, however that’s not how it went. It was in conversation with a dear friend that she suggested that I put together a GoFundMe so that I could actually get to Sedona and have time to rest, recover and heal without having to worry about managing clients.
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<div>The thought of that was overwhelming, and I immediately burst into tears. As a single woman with no family support to speak of the only option that I really saw myself was to work harder and figure it out. But clearly I was being shown that wasn’t working for me and something else was needed. I need the support of community on all levels, including financially.
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<div>Thanks to the generous support that I’ve received to date. I have been able to make the move and get settled into Sedona.
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<div>On the health front, I’ve uncovered some big stones, and after a parasite treatment with ivermectin have found myself actually feeling healing in my body for which I am very grateful for. I would like to begin treatment with a functional medicine doctor here in the area to do further testing to identify if there are any other causes for the auto immune dysfunction so that I may properly heal, regain my walking and dancing ability and live the active life that I love.
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<div>Your contribution will help fund that treatment as well as physical therapy, healing nutrition and supplements, and help me make a move to a more permanent home as my summer arrangement has come to an end. (I’m still looking for suitable housing if you have any recommendations!)
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<div>Even if you cannot contribute, financially, I ask that you support me in holding the intention that I am immediately, completely and permanently healed from all signs and symptoms of CIDP and happy and healthy in all ways.
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<div>Sharing this campaign with a friend or two who has the Heart to help is also incredibly appreciated.
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Rainbow Michael

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