Hi, I’m Jen. I’m disabled and trying to stay housed and safe with my service dog, Pharaby.

I live with a permanent nervous system injury (dysautonomia), immune system disorders (MCAS/MCS), and severe complex trauma (CPTSD) from years of extreme domestic abuse. My body now forces me into several involuntary, daily seizure episodes (PNES). When these hits happen, my body shakes, my left side lags, my thinking slows, and I lose the ability to function or move. I experience these exhausting shutdowns up to 9+ times every single day.

Because my body is collapsing from carrying this alone, I am currently completely unable to work in any consistent or reliable way.

I don't have family or a partner for a safety net, so facing this alone every day is terrifying. My nervous system cannot heal while I am in constant, daily survival mode. I am asking for your help to cover ongoing housing, food, utilities, medical expenses, and critical veterinary care for Pharaby so I can finally stabilize and heal.

If you are able to donate: You are directly keeping a disabled survivor and her service dog safe and housed.

If you aren't able to donate: Sharing this link to your social media pages or sending it to someone who can help makes a massive, life-changing difference.

Thank you so much for being here and supporting us!

⚠️ A Note on the Total Shown

The total fundraising number shown on this page reflects all donations cumulative over time, not a remaining balance currently available. Funds are directly transferred and used as they come in for ongoing monthly rent, food, utility bills, medical bills / supplies, and veterinary care for Pharaby. GoFundMe fees are also deducted from these totals.

The Full Story & Why the Goal Matters

I’ve been trying to survive and heal on my own after years of being a victim of long-term trauma. For a long time, I pushed through every symptom and every crash because I simply didn’t have a choice. I built content, sold art, and created digital products to hold myself up with zero safety net.

But my body has been shutting down daily for years, and it is no longer something I can "mind over matter" or ignore.

When my brain hits its limit, my eyes shut on their own to protect me. My left side lags, my body shakes, and I get pulled into a tight, curled-up "shrimp" shape, almost blacking out multiple times a day. These are physical, involuntary neurological shutdowns triggered by a shattered nervous system. This is my body collapsing after years of carrying everything completely alone.

Chronic trauma recovery at this level isn't a "take a week off" fix. The nervous system takes a decade or more to stabilize, and real recovery stretches into multiple decades. I cannot heal without basic stability. No one can.

Why I’m Asking for This Amount

This part is incredibly hard to talk about, but it matters.

If the level of harm I lived through had been done to me by a stranger, if I’d been kidnapped, trafficked, or held captive by anyone other than a spouse, the system would have given me restitution to rebuild my life. Victims of severe domestic violence almost never get that, even though the permanent physical damage to the body and brain is exactly the same.

Because it happened behind closed doors, the system left me out to dry, and I am forced to ask the public for help.

The goal amount I calculated is based on what actual legal restitution would look like for someone surviving long term trauma with a permanent nervous system injury. This is a long-term reality for me, not a temporary setback. It is the bare minimum of what it actually takes to build a sustainable, safe life over the decades it will take to heal.

This goal covers the absolute essentials:

Safe, modest housing (so sudden rent increases don't instantly make us homeless)

Basic living costs, utilities, and insurance

The medical care and specialized therapy I desperately need

Veterinary care, food, and supplies to keep my medical alert service dog healthy and working

The room to breathe so my body can finally stop bracing for survival and start repairing.

If you can help, even a little, you are giving me a real, honest shot at surviving this, staying safe, and finally becoming whole again.

Shares matter just as much as donations!

Dropping this link into a chat group, a post, or sending it to a friend who loves animals or supports survivors helps us reach the right village. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.