My name is Audrey and I live in Salt Lake City, UT.

After years of managing my health on my own for most of my life, my health has recently been declining rapidly.

I now need urgent help to access medical care that I can’t get in Utah.

My most immediate need is for the costs associated with the out-of-state appointment, coming up quickly on April 29th, 2026. (As you know, flights become increasingly more expensive as the departure date gets closer).

I'm anticipating the flight + motel + ground transportation + food + copay to cost approximately $795.

I'll describe my current situation directly below this, and towards the end of this description, I'll also outline the expenses I'm asking for help with.

In the state of Utah, rheumatologists are very difficult to get an appointment with, despite me having multiple referrals. I've been on a "waiting list" of patients who have not yet been triaged for a new patient appointment for about 2 months now. After triage, it will be another 9+ months before I could potentially be seen. I need help with getting to an urgent out-of-state rheumatologist appointment on April 29, 2026.

Epilepsy presented for me 20 years ago at age 13. I spent the next several years daily experiencing several clusters of what was often dozens of seizures (per cluster). I’ve spent most of my life also managing various other health challenges, including what doctors suspect to be an autoimmune disease. In late 2024, my health began to suddenly worsen, and over the past several months, it has become significantly more severe and complex.

My epilepsy is now drug resistant.

In addition to generalized seizures, I’ve recently begun experiencing new focal aware seizures for the first time in my life. On the worst days, I'll have an estimated 60+ seizures in one day, sometimes even over the course of a few hours. These seizures started on the same timeline in which my autoimmune-like symptoms became increasingly frequent and severe. This has raised concern by multiple specialists (and myself) that there may be an underlying condition contributing to everything happening in my body. If that’s the case, these seizures may only respond to autoimmune-based treatments, which I have not yet been able to access.

I am also dealing with severe, rapidly worsening chronic pain in both of my hands and forearms. Even the most minimal use causes significant pain, stiffness, and near-loss of function, making it difficult to complete basic daily tasks such as typing, using my phone, opening door handles, and opening sealed items. Because of the limitations with using devices, it's become very difficult to even stay connected with friends that I so desperately need and want in my life right now...

My doctors have ruled out any structural causes for the pain, including carpal tunnel. This further supports my doctors' suspicion that a potential autoimmune disease is causing the pain.

I've been experiencing a multitude of symptoms, including:

In February 2026, I was hospitalized in the ICU in critical condition, requiring several doses of Epi (including a code status dose and multiple drips,) just to get my heart to start working again. While in the ICU, doctors accidentally discovered multiple pulmonary embolisms in both of my lungs. Pulmonary embolisms are blood clots that could have been fatal if they had not been found/treated soon enough. While this may or may not be unrelated to my other conditions, this event is still indicative of how serious and unpredictable my health has become.

A few months ago, I had been scheduled for a VNS (vagus nerve stimulator) implantation for March 26th, 2026, to treat my epilepsy, depression, and possibly even pain (according to very recent studies). This surgery was even authorized by my current health insurance, despite typically having a low approval rate. However, after being placed on blood thinners due to the pulmonary embolisms, my neurosurgeon canceled the surgery, pending a new date. Now that I am finally off blood thinners, I have been unable to find a provider with availability to reschedule before the end of the month - which is when my health insurance will be changing.

Due to the severity of my health issues and the lack of access to a rheumatologist in Utah, I have secured an out-of-state rheumatology appointment in Beverly Hills, California on April 29, 2026. This appointment is critical in helping determine a diagnosis, and/or referring me to other specialists as needed, and assisting with any treatment options that may be available.

Additionally, I was recently forced to leave my job due to my health. I was unable to continue working reduced hours or take additional short-term disability leave without losing my health insurance coverage. (This threat was made specifically by that employer's HR team, who also stated "what's really going to help you is coming back to work" immediately after I stated that my health is the worst it's ever been).

While I just recently accepted a new job offer, my start date is not until mid-May due to the lengthy background check process.

At this time, I have only received $176 in income for the month of April, and I will likely be without stable health insurance coverage (for at least the month of May) unless I am approved for Medicaid.

Immediate Priority & How Funds Will Be Used

My most urgent need is currently the cost of travel for this appointment, followed by short-term medical and living expenses while I continue care.

• Flight to Beverly Hills (round trip): $400–$500 (I am unable to drive there because my car currently needs new brakes).

• Ground transportation (Uber, etc): $150

• Motel for 2-3 nights: ~$225

• Office visit copay: $30

• Medications and ongoing care: $600

• Short-term housing (extended stay/Airbnb while my partner and I wait for an upcoming change in housing, expected early July 2026): $4,500

• Basic living expenses while I await receiving unemployment pay ($450 food, $150 gas, $491 past-due car note, $120 phone bill, $137 car insurance): $1,348

Estimated total goal:

$7253.00

I fully do not expect to raise the entire amount of my goal, but anything would be much appreciated, and I so very much hope that I can at least raise the amount needed for my rheumatology appointment, if nothing else.

If you've read this far, thank you so much for reading my story. The US Healthcare system is very much broken, and I hope that one day people like me won't have to create fundraisers just in an attempt to receive adequate, life-saving medical care.

Again, thank you.

-Audrey