Help me get a power wheelchair
Donation protected
A year ago in October, 2017 I started deteriorating. What I mean by that is I began struggling to stand, walk, and think clearly. At the time I was pursuing a career in veterinary technology and thriving! But as I struggled more and more to stand, I needed a cane, and within a month I was entirely incapable of being in school. I was living with my best friend and it was an important factor in keeping up with my mental health, but because of my continued decline I had to move back home with my parents. I just couldn't care for my self.
My condition, though it has not been able to be diagnosed officially, is very clearly Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS), a genetic condition that effects the laxity of ALL of your bodies connective tissue. This has caused partial loss of hearing, severe dizziness, fainting, an assortment of GI issues, daily migraines, constant dislocations of hips, shoulders, knees, elbows, vertebrae, ribs, fingers, and thumbs. This in itself is severely painful, but on top of that (as is common with EDS) I have fibromyalgia, a chronic disorder that causes the central nervous system to overreact, causing a more intense response to pain. What this means for me is extreme unending pain that gets worse every day.
I have a wheelchair both in the house and in my car for when I need to go out. I try to be as independent as possible, as that is really important to me and my mental health. But now I have found myself not being able to push myself in my wheelchair for more than a few minutes on a flat surface. I can only really go places I need to go, like the grocery store to get fresh veggies for my amazing little guinea pigs, or like a plant store to get supplies for my indoor plants, if I have someone there to push me and help me out. I can't keep up with that though. It's becoming harder and harder everyday. The pain and fatigue isn't going to go away and it won't any time soon as both of my conditions are untreatable and degenerating. I need help.
Something that I think can help me live again, and maybe even get me back out into nature again is a hybrid wheelchair, that I can push if I have the ability to so I can still use my body, but also allows me to get the added mobility aid when I really need it. The reason I'm coming to GoFundMe is that my family is running dry with all the medical bills and I need to take action for myself. I can't get on disability for a while (you know how it is) and I'm all out of options. I need this now. I need to live. I need to feel a little more normal.
My condition, though it has not been able to be diagnosed officially, is very clearly Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS), a genetic condition that effects the laxity of ALL of your bodies connective tissue. This has caused partial loss of hearing, severe dizziness, fainting, an assortment of GI issues, daily migraines, constant dislocations of hips, shoulders, knees, elbows, vertebrae, ribs, fingers, and thumbs. This in itself is severely painful, but on top of that (as is common with EDS) I have fibromyalgia, a chronic disorder that causes the central nervous system to overreact, causing a more intense response to pain. What this means for me is extreme unending pain that gets worse every day.
I have a wheelchair both in the house and in my car for when I need to go out. I try to be as independent as possible, as that is really important to me and my mental health. But now I have found myself not being able to push myself in my wheelchair for more than a few minutes on a flat surface. I can only really go places I need to go, like the grocery store to get fresh veggies for my amazing little guinea pigs, or like a plant store to get supplies for my indoor plants, if I have someone there to push me and help me out. I can't keep up with that though. It's becoming harder and harder everyday. The pain and fatigue isn't going to go away and it won't any time soon as both of my conditions are untreatable and degenerating. I need help.
Something that I think can help me live again, and maybe even get me back out into nature again is a hybrid wheelchair, that I can push if I have the ability to so I can still use my body, but also allows me to get the added mobility aid when I really need it. The reason I'm coming to GoFundMe is that my family is running dry with all the medical bills and I need to take action for myself. I can't get on disability for a while (you know how it is) and I'm all out of options. I need this now. I need to live. I need to feel a little more normal.
Organizer
June Kaplan
Organizer
Mansfield, MA
