Wings for Ophelia

October 31st, 2008 was the worst night of my life. I was awoken by an excruciating pain in my legs unlike anything I had ever experienced before. It was so bad that my dad had to carry me to the car before rushing me to the Emergency Room. Once we arrived I was placed in a wheelchair. I was only nine years old but thus began my life with mobility aids.

I have a disease called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome that causes severe, chronic pain categorized as worse than amputation and childbirth. On the McGill Pain Scale it is a forty-two out of fifty making it the most painful disease currently discovered.

Since my pain began, life has become a lot smaller for me. At first it was just the little things like I couldn’t ride my bike anymore or play tag with the other kids. But now that my disease has progressed it’s bigger things too; like not being able to get to school some days and even having trouble making it to important appointments.

For so long I was confined to a body that decided what I could and couldn’t do. Even when I used a cane or a manual wheelchair my body was still in charge of how far or how fast I could move. But that all changed when I got my motorized wheelchair, it gives me the mobility that my body just doesn’t. Now I can go to school more often and make it to those appointments or even go out with friends and walk my dog by myself. I no longer lag behind when I’m out with a group because my body isn’t in charge anymore, I am.

My wheelchair has allowed me to do so much. I’ve even gone to Disney World in it. When my legs failed me my wheelchair gave me wings. But those wings are failing too. My wheelchair was second-hand when we got it and after the years of use it’s not looking too great. Between the loose hinges, the broken backrest and the rust, it’s starting to hinder more than it helps.

This is where YouCaring comes in. My goal is to get a brand new wheelchair, one that is designed for my needs and that won’t fall apart on me anytime soon. Unfortunately wheelchairs are expensive, so if I’m going to get back on my feet, or rather my wheels, I’m going to need some help. In order to afford this wheelchair we need to raise $9,000. So if you can donate even a dollar it will bring me one step closer to my goal. And, if you can’t donate, just sharing my fundraiser can go a long way.

Thank you so much for reading my story and supporting my fundraiser.

Thank you for helping me get back my wings.