I’m Michelle. I live in TN. It has taken me weeks to get up the courage to make this post. As most of you know, I’ve battled multiple chronic illnesses for the last twenty years. My migraines, fibromyalgia, depression, anxiety, and necrotizing scleritis has ruled my life. Throughout the years I’ve worked diligently to qualify for disability but was told by the social security administration that if I not gone to college and earned a bachelors degree, my disability would have been approved the first time. To this day I can honestly say, none of my diseases seem to care about my college degree. Since TN refuses to expand Medicaid in TN, I have no health insurance and since I don’t earn enough money I can’t qualify for any tax breaks under the Affordable Care Act. The monthly premiums alone were more than all my monthly bills combined.

In July of 2024, I woke up with what I thought was just a run of the mill inner ear spell. I waiting almost a week treating my symptoms of dizziness, nausea, fainting spells, and multiple headaches unlike my normal migraines with over the counter medication. When I was getting worse instead of better, I went to my PCP and they treated me for a possible inner ear infection with steroids and antivirals. That round of medication didn’t work and she sent me to an ENT.

Dr. Parey believed the inner ear infection had migrated into the nerve of my inner and required two more rounds of much higher dose steroids as well as antivirals. After battling this for a month, I was beginning to get sicker and sicker. My hair has fallen out to the point I have multiple bald spots. My hands and feet have permanent rashes that doctors can’t figure out and after some blood work it was determined I have Hashimotos in conjunction with Thyroid eye disease in my right eye. The bad news on this front is the disease is affecting my only good eye as I have no peripheral vision in my left & corrective lenses only can get my vision to 20/100 in the left eye. The right eye has developed an abnormal cataract and surgery is an extreme risk.

I am no longer able to drive and in the last six months have left my apartment for only doctors appointments besides the one evening the kids took me out for my birthday. Things have gotten even more dangerous as I can’t tell you how many times I’ve woken up on the floor of my apartment not knowing how long I had been there.

Then I began having extremely bad pain in my abdomen that I could not control. My PCP has said I need a colonoscopy and endoscopy to see what is going on. However, these tests are deemed preventative and require paying $5k upfront before they can be done. Mercy Clinic works with a few imaging clinics for people with no insurance and the doctor ordered a CT scan with contrast to see if we could get some information of possible involvement of my pancreas and colon until I can have the scopes. During the CT scan, they noticed something in my right breast. They must believe there is an extremely high percentage it is breast cancer as they want me to do a diagnostic mammogram as well as an ultrasound on the same day. My family has a history of breast cancer, bladder cancer, leiomyosarcoma, pancreatic cancer, and colon cancer.

To say I’m scared is an understatement as all these tests require upfront payment and I just don’t have it. I decided to setup a GoFundMe to try and raise enough money so I can get a diagnosis and try to begin this healing journey. The last six months I have barely been surviving and if I am being completely transparent, there are have been multiple days where I didn’t know if I even wanted to survive. I will use the funds to pay for the testing and any treatments needed.

TN could expand Medicaid and over 200k residents would qualify for medical assistance. The next month to six weeks I need to have multiple tests in order to see what my next steps are. This has been so isolating and demoralizing. I feel like I am a second class citizen and the thought of not getting to be here for my kids is taking a toll on me mentally. Thank you for reading this post and if you don’t mind sharing so others can see the GoFundMe.