Help Us Get Back on Our Feet

Ray and Gael are a trans nonbinary queer couple living in the valley of so-called Missoula, Montana on occupied Pend d'Oreille and Salish land. They met under a full moon and an eclipse on new year's day in 2018. At that time, they knew that they were both very sick and only getting worse, for what they thought at the time, were very different reasons.

Gael and Ray are both living with Lyme disease, amongst other disease processes, neuroatypicalities, etc. The last three homes they lived in together and separately exposed them to toxic levels of mold, that have critically affected their immune systems.

They spent all of May and June raising funds to move their lives to Missoula, MT and have been slowly replacing most everything they own, as all of their possessions were covered in mold spores and could not be effectively cleaned. Ray was also forced to enter into a full medical leave and to close their practice, leaving them with a single income and even more financial hardship than ever before.

They reached Missoula with some storage bins and a trifold mattress and have been struggling ever since. In order to begin their new life, all of their credit cards have been maxed and money is incredibly tight. Making sure food and basics are covered is a worry every day.

They are also in process of trying to start a business and build a client-base, which also takes start up funds and tools. With the help of some remaining credit and micro loans they have been able to get some basics together but it's not enough.

The mold toxicity they faced and the chronic Lyme they both live with costs hundreds of dollars a month to keep up with, in daily medications, supplements, body work and the many care providers they need to see.

In regard to financial and emotional burden, the overall cost is more than they could have imagined.



Due to the damage and progression of the multiple illnesses over the years, Ray’s savings has been depleted during the process of getting sick, seeking answers, and paying for care out-of-pocket. In order to continue doing the work they are so passionate about, Ray closed down their Portland office and has soft-launched a coaching and consultation business. This allows them to work from home while they are in the long-term healing process from Chronic Lyme, co-infections & toxic mold. This practice will take time to build and there has been a huge impact to their income as it dwindled to nothing.

They are hoping that as a community, they can receive the support they need to completely start over, in a place where they know no one but Gael’s family, with very few possessions and support. The hope is to have enough in donation to support Ray as they will be unable to work as a counselor and will need time to build up their coaching practice. Gael’s income is in no way adequate to support them both, although that has been a great support as Ray’s practice has needed to close incrementally.

All of this is pretty scary and humbling. None of this is anything they could have possibly prepared for given the timing and impact on their finances and overall ability to be in the world that has been made by their various chronic illnesses.

Thank you so much for reading this, for taking the time and for any and all ways you can spread this story. There is no way they can do this alone. Please know that this is a process in which they are still getting new information, everyday throughout the day regarding the further impact and what they will need. Updates will be given as this new information comes in.

If you want to get new updates about where Ray and Gael are in their journey, you can reach them in the following ways:

Instagram: drkflff and ray.tennessee

Please help them raise money by sharing this far and wide, donating if you can. This is a huge financial and emotional undertaking and they need the support of so many.

---------------------------
Where your donation goes:

Bolded/italicized  items have been paid for with donations.
Everything we still have to fund-raise for is underlined.

What you see below is a baseline breakdown of costs for the move and everything that is needed to keep them afloat. They cannot take the risk of buying anything used, as any possible mold contamination would further risk their health. Ray is also in need of replacing and obtaining various assistive technologies to begin their practice again, but that has not been calculated as of yet.

Moving services (a freight truck to MT and all labor): $2800

Moving plastic storage containers (to prevent re-contamination as they wash and pack): $550

Rent and Deposit: $2900

Rental of a moving van (to take all contaminated possessions to the dump): $500+

Coverage for lost wages to cover basic living expenses: $4000+ ?????

Coverage for medical expenses (including needing to travel to Portland to continue care with their Lyme literate PCP): $1500 ????

All new furniture: $1000

Their personal and professional library (still counting): $4000+

Total approximate base cost: $21,500, but will definitely increase as days pass

If you wish you can donate with an item they need to replace from their home. An Amazon wish list can be found at this link here.

If you wish to donate directly to them you can donate in the following ways:
Paypal: [email redacted]
Venmo: @gpetoia
Ca$hApp: $gpetoia

-----------------

Included below are links about mold exposure, it's causes and symptoms, in the hopes that folks who may be experiencing it too might be able to get the help they need:

https://www.survivingmold.com/mold-symptoms 

http://www.lifeworkswellnesscenter.com/environmental-toxins/mold-symptoms-allergies-health-dangers.html 

Below, please find their stories and some helpful information about mold toxicity.

In 2015, while finishing their degree in counseling Ray became mysteriously ill. During this time, Ray was active in the social justice movement surrounding Ferguson, completing their clinical internship and mentoring youth. Within months, Ray began having nearly daily migraines, increased immune system activation, and developed neurological symptoms. Ray’s health was greatly supported by acupuncture and herbs, though without knowing what was causing underlying issues, it was simply not enough. Unfortunately, Ray’s Lyme story is an all too familiar one of misdiagnosis, waiting to be seen and not being taken seriously, especially those who are assigned female and without access to good insurance. After two years of misdiagnosis, misattribution, and overt negligence on the part of medical providers, Lyme was substantiated as a diagnosis in late 2017.


Ray moved to the Pacific NW in 2016 to care for their father during his end of life and stayed to support family in their process of mourning. Ray began getting sicker in late 2016, and by late 2017 was forced to leave their full-time job. It was during that winter that Ray began treatment for Lyme with their acupuncturist. Their symptom milieu had evolved into daily migraines, visual degradation, tremors, seizures, severe neuralgia, severe malnourishment, chronic fatigue and neurological symptoms. Ray has been navigating an infection in the lining of their brain & spine, developed systemic arthritis, and still lives with daily migraines. Despite the efficacy of the Lyme treatments, they have continued to get sicker. In recent weeks, Ray has finally been able to access a doctor specializing in Lyme & chronic illness. It has been substantiated that Ray’s lymphatic, pulmonary, cardiac and neurological systems are in critical threat by the years of living with Lyme, co-infections, and exposure to toxic molds.


Gael was diagnosed with endometriosis nearly a decade ago. Since then they have undergone four major laparoscopic surgeries, including a full hysterectomy last November. Over the past year and a half they had begun to experience increased neurological and immune dysfunction that was of unknown origin - including tremors, seizures, transient inability to use their limbs, speech impediments, fevers, weight loss, asthma, GI disturbances, severe neuralgia and chronic migraines. After EEGs, EKGs, MRIs, ECGs, cat scans, extensive blood/lab work, Chinese medicine and so much self-advocacy, they learned that they had Lyme disease a few months ago. Aside from the Lyme itself, they learned they are carrying five active co-infections (all viral), two parasites, heavy metal toxicity and also, as stated with Ray, toxic mold exposure.