Help Sarah Beat ME/CFS
Donation protected
One afternoon, I woke up from a nap and thought I had food poisoning.
Ten days, and three doctor’s visits, later, that generalized, nauseated feeling in my stomach had concentrated itself into a fist-sized ball of intense pain in my right flank.
That was nine years ago. And I have been living with that pain every day since.
After consulting with countless doctors in 12 different specialties, the cause of that pain is still unknown. They only know it stems from an incurable, neurological illness called myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), a more severe cousin to the better known fibromyalgia.
ME attacks the body in two ways, by causing pain and fatigue. And so far, the only treatment is to address the symptoms. Which means pain medications and periodic nerve-blocking injections. Both treatments help keep the pain from rising to a level inspiring thoughts of suicide, but the pain never goes away. Both treatments are inadequate and imperfect solutions.
There is also no treatment for the exhaustion caused by ME and its constant pain. I sleep at least ten hours every night, and often nap during the day, only to wake up feeling more tired than when I went to sleep. And if I should over-exert myself one day, I can spend days or weeks paying for it by barely being able to get out of bed.
I can't even shower regularly, let alone hold down a job, maintain meaningful relationships or pursue my dreams and passions. I squeeze what I can out of each day, but it is a hollow shell of a life. And yet it is the only life I have. S o, I will not give up on it.
I have decided to try other types of treatment... anything and everything outside the realm of “Western medicine.” Recently I visited a naturopathic doctor who gave me a holistic, IV infusion of vitamins, minerals and fluids. The treatment dramatically decreased my pain levels almost immediately and without any adverse side-effects. And for the first time in nearly a decade, it gave me hope.
However, the treatment is expensive and needs to be repeated frequently, weekly for the time being. And it is not covered by insurance.
This is where I need your help. Either through donations or purchasing my art.
If you are a fan of my art, I want you to know I have abandoned the traditional, fine art photography model of limited edition print sales in favor of selling more affordable prints through my Red Bubble store . Any profit I make from those sales will also go towards funding my treatment. And improving my health means I will be able to create more art. So, if you'd like to donate but would rather get something tangible for your money, this is the solution for you! :) (For anyone who has previously purchased prints, those are higher quality than what Red Bubble can produce and will remain what I use for gallery shows and other limited edition series.')
A life of pain and never-ending sickness is no way to live. But to know there is hope and a potential way out is unspeakably precious and powerful. I just need a little help reaching it. The amount I have set this fundraiser's goal to will cover approximately six months of infusions. So, please give if you can. And if you cannot, which I understand, I would so appreciate it if you shared this on your social media.
For those of you who do give or share, I thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Again, my Red Bubble shop can be found here : https://www.redbubble.com/people/sarahallegra
In it, you can find prints along with a wide variety of items (mugs, scarves, phone covers and much more) with my images on them.
Ten days, and three doctor’s visits, later, that generalized, nauseated feeling in my stomach had concentrated itself into a fist-sized ball of intense pain in my right flank.
That was nine years ago. And I have been living with that pain every day since.
After consulting with countless doctors in 12 different specialties, the cause of that pain is still unknown. They only know it stems from an incurable, neurological illness called myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), a more severe cousin to the better known fibromyalgia.
ME attacks the body in two ways, by causing pain and fatigue. And so far, the only treatment is to address the symptoms. Which means pain medications and periodic nerve-blocking injections. Both treatments help keep the pain from rising to a level inspiring thoughts of suicide, but the pain never goes away. Both treatments are inadequate and imperfect solutions.
There is also no treatment for the exhaustion caused by ME and its constant pain. I sleep at least ten hours every night, and often nap during the day, only to wake up feeling more tired than when I went to sleep. And if I should over-exert myself one day, I can spend days or weeks paying for it by barely being able to get out of bed.
I can't even shower regularly, let alone hold down a job, maintain meaningful relationships or pursue my dreams and passions. I squeeze what I can out of each day, but it is a hollow shell of a life. And yet it is the only life I have. S o, I will not give up on it.
I have decided to try other types of treatment... anything and everything outside the realm of “Western medicine.” Recently I visited a naturopathic doctor who gave me a holistic, IV infusion of vitamins, minerals and fluids. The treatment dramatically decreased my pain levels almost immediately and without any adverse side-effects. And for the first time in nearly a decade, it gave me hope.
However, the treatment is expensive and needs to be repeated frequently, weekly for the time being. And it is not covered by insurance.
This is where I need your help. Either through donations or purchasing my art.
If you are a fan of my art, I want you to know I have abandoned the traditional, fine art photography model of limited edition print sales in favor of selling more affordable prints through my Red Bubble store . Any profit I make from those sales will also go towards funding my treatment. And improving my health means I will be able to create more art. So, if you'd like to donate but would rather get something tangible for your money, this is the solution for you! :) (For anyone who has previously purchased prints, those are higher quality than what Red Bubble can produce and will remain what I use for gallery shows and other limited edition series.')
A life of pain and never-ending sickness is no way to live. But to know there is hope and a potential way out is unspeakably precious and powerful. I just need a little help reaching it. The amount I have set this fundraiser's goal to will cover approximately six months of infusions. So, please give if you can. And if you cannot, which I understand, I would so appreciate it if you shared this on your social media.
For those of you who do give or share, I thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Again, my Red Bubble shop can be found here : https://www.redbubble.com/people/sarahallegra
In it, you can find prints along with a wide variety of items (mugs, scarves, phone covers and much more) with my images on them.
Organizer
Sarah Allegra Ashley
Organizer
Sierra Madre, CA
