Humbly asking for assistance ♥

Hello! My name is Trisha Phillips and I am humbly asking for your assistance in helping to cover the expenses I have incurred due to illness.

Professionally, I am an addictions counselor and I have dedicated my entire adult life to the service of others. In October 2022, I became very ill and it rendered me unable to work. I am experiencing both significant physical and cognitive impairment. I do not currently have a diagnosis. I have been undergoing testing for over a year and the doctors have yet to arrive at a diagnosis. I have exhausted all of my resources just trying to survive.

After several agonizing months of just trying to keep my head above water, I am finally humbling myself and asking for help. I am used to being the helper, not the person who needs help, so this is a very difficult decision for me to make and I ask that you please understand that I am not doing this lightly.

I am currently a recipient of Medicaid and all of my medical tests are scheduled months out at a time. I am also receiving acupuncture and taking 22 supplements that I have to pay for out of pocket. These are the things that are helping to keep me alive until I can get a diagnosis and proper treatment. While I'm going through this long, and exhausting process - I am unable to work and unable to pay my bills. I have incurred quite a bit of debt.

My father and my children help as much as they can, but after a year, we are all financially exhausted.

I am asking for $20,000 to help cover the debt that I have incurred and to help assist with my ongoing medical needs.

I know that this is a lot of money, and I am so embarrassed to be asking for your help. I have donated to several go fund me accounts over the years, so I have seen how much of a positive impact this platform can have for people who need financial help. Now its me who needs the help, and I am hopeful that I will be able to meet my goal and continue to keep my head above water until I can arrive at diagnosis and get proper care.

Anything you are able to donate helps. Whether its $1 or $100 - I will be forever grateful for any help I can get during this time.

I appreciate you taking the time to read this. Thank you in advance for your kindness and support. It means more to me than you'll ever know ♥

12/20/2023 - I just wanted to give a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has made a donation and give you a little update. We still have a very long way to go, but I am eternally grateful for the outpouring of love and concern I have received. It is still a daily struggle to just meet my basic needs. I did finally have a colonoscopy on Monday and we are waiting for biopsy results. All that I know is I have visceral hypersensitivity and erythematous mucosa that they are not sure what the cause is (hence biopsy) and diverticulosis in the transverse and sigmoid colon. Apparently when I was sedated I was able to tell them exactly where my pain was when I was being scoped I'm hopeful for some kind of answers when the biopsies return. I also saw a new primary physician yesterday. She is referring me to neurology for suspected postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) and to rule in or out abdominal migraine/cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS) and multiple sclerosis (MS). She sent me for a ton of lab work (including screening for things like Lyme disease - which I feel I should've already been tested for!) We should have the results back by Friday. I am grateful to finally have a doctor who is willing to take the time to listen and work with me. She does want me using an ambulatory wheelchair instead of my rollator. I'm having a really hard time mentally adjusting to needing a wheelchair. She sent in a prescription in so it would be covered by my insurance, and surprise - they denied the request. So - now I wait until I get a more clear diagnosis and try again - or hope I will be able to purchase one at some point. So far, the diagnoses are chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic pain syndrome, hypoglycemia, anemia, orthostatic hypotension, B-12 deficiency, D deficiency, sluggish liver, ADHD, adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depression, and suspected POTS and IBD or S - but they are waiting on results to confirm diagnosis. I have a live and dried blood analysis scheduled next week and from what the doctor said, I will get real time results - so I will have a better understanding of what is happening with my blood. In the meantime, I stay sick and I am unable to do many normal things (like taking care of my basic needs and working). I have been off work since October 2022. We closed one of our locations December 1st. Without me working, we cannot sustain two locations. I spend over 90% of my time in bed. Any activity seems to make my symptoms flare and sitting straight up (like in a chair on on the couch) causes regurgitation....so my options are kind of limited. Some days I wake up with a little bit of energy and I do everything I can possibly do until it runs out - and then I'm usually bed ridden for a few days after. I did start trying to make some Tik Toks in hopes of finding community, but I'm still basically a hermit. I desperately want to be well enough to be a functional person again. As more information comes in, I will try to keep everyone updated.

While I am stuck in bed, I have been crocheting when I feel up to it. With the help of my daughter, I am hoping to put together an Etsy shop and maybe start selling some of the items sometime in January or February. I cannot guarantee my health, so I want to be able to build up some inventory beforehand ❤ but if that becomes a reality - I will definitely share the information!

I know that many of you have already donated or shared my GoFundMe post, but I wanted to ask if you wouldn't mind sharing again. Every little thing helps. If everyone who sees the post donates even $1, it will help get me closer to my goal and keep a roof over my head until I am able to either get back to work or be approved for disability.

Again, I want to say thank you - from the bottom of my heart. I sincerely appreciate every positive thought, prayer, and all of the well wish that has come my way. I appreciate every bit of help that I have received - physical, emotional, and financial. The get well card I have received is taped to my wall so I can see it as soon as I open my eyes every morning ❤ Your kindness matters.