Katie's Fight Against F.N.D.
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Hello Friends, Family and all you other Folks my name is Katie Rivero. I was recently diagnosed with a neurological disease called Functioning Neurological Disorder, F.N.D. This disease mimicks many other neurological diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis and Guillian Barre Syndrome, and can be as debilitating as Parkinsons. The challenging part of F.N.D. is that not everybody's symptoms are the same.
I started having neurological issues back in the beginning of August 2014. I woke up having extreme back pain and throughout the day I noticed that my face, feet and hands would become numb with pins and needles. With the numbness I was also having some pretty severe weakness and fatigue. Opening a jar or going to the grocery store felt increasingly difficult . Over time, I developed dizzy spells, which would become progressively longer and stronger. At times I felt like I was in a hypnotic movie, where you see all sorts of colorful funky things. This was also when I started having problems with balance and often felt as if I was on a boat. These issues all progressed through October when i finally began seeing a neurologist.
Although I was still able to work, my symptoms became more challenging. I was questioned on whether I was sober on many occasions at work because of a lack of coordination and slurred speech.As my health declined, I was constantly in the doctors office having tests, MRI's, and other scans done, forcing me to take multiple days off of work. At the end of January, with no other options, my doctor recommended a spinal tap in hopes to take M.S. off of the list of posibilities.
I walked into the neurologists office on January 29, 2015. Shortly there after I was unable to walk. I was admitted to a western Massachusetts hospital on January 31st, and stayed there until February 10th. I was discharged to a nursing rehab facility; my roommate was 102 years old. I spent 23 days at this facility recieving 30 minutes of physical therapy a day. I was still completely unable to walk or stand on my own. I was finally referred to a neurologist in Boston and diagnosed with F.N.D.
On March 4th my neurologist was able to get me admitted to Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, where I have been working my butt off ever since! I have been making progress every day, but I will be wheelchair bound for an unknown amount of time.
My parents have started to make their house more wheelchair friendly for when I come home, but ultimately I would like to have my own accessible apartment. I have accumulated thousands of dollars of medical expenses since I have been incapacitated. I have been out of work for the last three months and I dont know how long this will last. I have no source of income. Although it is not in my nature to ask for help, I would appreciate your kindness to help me through this extremely difficult time in my life.
I started having neurological issues back in the beginning of August 2014. I woke up having extreme back pain and throughout the day I noticed that my face, feet and hands would become numb with pins and needles. With the numbness I was also having some pretty severe weakness and fatigue. Opening a jar or going to the grocery store felt increasingly difficult . Over time, I developed dizzy spells, which would become progressively longer and stronger. At times I felt like I was in a hypnotic movie, where you see all sorts of colorful funky things. This was also when I started having problems with balance and often felt as if I was on a boat. These issues all progressed through October when i finally began seeing a neurologist.
Although I was still able to work, my symptoms became more challenging. I was questioned on whether I was sober on many occasions at work because of a lack of coordination and slurred speech.As my health declined, I was constantly in the doctors office having tests, MRI's, and other scans done, forcing me to take multiple days off of work. At the end of January, with no other options, my doctor recommended a spinal tap in hopes to take M.S. off of the list of posibilities.
I walked into the neurologists office on January 29, 2015. Shortly there after I was unable to walk. I was admitted to a western Massachusetts hospital on January 31st, and stayed there until February 10th. I was discharged to a nursing rehab facility; my roommate was 102 years old. I spent 23 days at this facility recieving 30 minutes of physical therapy a day. I was still completely unable to walk or stand on my own. I was finally referred to a neurologist in Boston and diagnosed with F.N.D.
On March 4th my neurologist was able to get me admitted to Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, where I have been working my butt off ever since! I have been making progress every day, but I will be wheelchair bound for an unknown amount of time.
My parents have started to make their house more wheelchair friendly for when I come home, but ultimately I would like to have my own accessible apartment. I have accumulated thousands of dollars of medical expenses since I have been incapacitated. I have been out of work for the last three months and I dont know how long this will last. I have no source of income. Although it is not in my nature to ask for help, I would appreciate your kindness to help me through this extremely difficult time in my life.
Organizer
Kate Rivero
Organizer
Scituate, MA