Chenoa's Health Crisis Emergency Fund

This Gofundme has been organized by Chenoa’s friends on her behalf. 

Here’s Chenoa’s story in her own words:

My world shattered in an instant. A vaccine, intended to protect me, unleashed a relentless assault on my body. My body, once a reliable companion, turned against me. My kidneys were irreparably damaged by an adverse reaction and my autonomic nervous system rebelled. The once-familiar rhythm of my life was replaced by a relentless battle for survival.

Three years have passed, and I'm still fighting. Each day is a grueling test of endurance as I navigate a complex web of health challenges related to Primary FSGS, a severe autoimmune like kidney disease that attacks the kidney’s glomeruli that damages the kidney’s filtration process. The financial toll has been equally devastating and I have been left with nothing. Without a safety net, I've been forced to watch my life crumble to nothing.

I definitely was not in a position to handle costs of a health crisis, or be out of work for so long so this has been very devastating for me. Even though the COVID-19 vaccine was mandated, those of us who suffered adverse reactions did not receive any financial support from the government for our injuries. I didn’t qualified for disability, SSI, or meet the criteria for any city/state rental assistance programs. I also lack family support systems that most people have in their lives to turn to when emergencies arise. There’s no legal recourse, either. The Prep Act legislation signed during the pandemic stripped us of our right to sue. Filing a claim with the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP) for compensation is a dead end because they reject 98% of claims they receive. My adverse reaction didn’t kill me, but it left in circumstances impossible to survive.

(https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/03/health/covid-vaccines-side-effects.html)

A misdiagnosis of Minimal Change Disease is responsible for dragging out this agonizing ordeal. For two years I suffered through nine hospitalizations and the daily harmful debilitating attacks of prednisone treatment for a disease I did not have while my actual condition, the more aggressive kidney disease Primary FSGS, was left untreated and my kidneys fell further into failure. Primary FSGS isn’t an autoimmune disease, but it behaves like one. In my case, an adverse reaction triggered an abnormal antibody that attacked my kidneys and scarred the glomeruli. Glomeruli are essential to sustaining life ; the tiny blood filters within the kidneys are responsible for removing waste and extra fluid from the blood. At one point, my health was so bad I was added to the kidney transplant list. This painful chapter of my healing journey pushed me to the brink, but through sheer determination, I relentlessly advocated for a more effective treatment and finally gained access to immunosuppressive therapy, that’s slowly healing my kidneys. Yet, the road to recovery is long and arduous. Debilitating fainting spells, most likely caused by dysautonomia, continue to rob me of my independence and prevent me from returning to work.

As my health plummeted, so did my world. The most devastating financial repercussion of my health crisis has been the housing insecurity it caused. I faced the ultimate nightmare: homelessness in the heart of New York City. Displaced from my longtime East Village apartment by another tenant’s lucrative offer to rent the space to use as her personal art studio and my landlord’s understandable desire to get the most out her investment before she sold her property, I lost my only sanctuary I had during my health crisis…and was now homeless. Even with lots of advance notice, my weakened body and depleted finances made finding a new home impossible.

Desperate, terrified and unwell, I was plunged into a panicked search for place to live during the city's worst housing crisis as I bounced back and forth between hospital stays, a friend’s place and Airbnbs. I only survived thanks to the incredible generosity of friends who went above and beyond to ensure my cats and I never had to sleep on the streets. Driven by desperation, I accepted a promising offer an hour away in Brooklyn, not considering that the distance would abruptly sever my lifeline to essential medical care or what I needed as a chronically ill, immunocompromised disabled person to survive. Given my financial predicament, I know how fortunate I am to even have housing. I am so grateful to everyone who donated to ensure I can hold onto this room rental. I am so grateful to be renting a room from an understanding individual whose been incredibly accommodating about my financial restraints. Unfortunately, my immune system is struggling to cope with the conditions in this apartment and the move to Brooklyn trapped me in a cycle of illness and despair that puts healing out of reach.

I’ve been reflecting heavily upon what I need to transform this seemingly endless struggle into a story of hope and resilience. Not having the resources I need to rebuild my life and uplift myself out of financial ruin appears to be the biggest obstacle. I know everyone is feeling the weight of these trying financial times, but my hope is that I can turn to my friends and community for another lifeline to uplift me from the financial ruin that this health crisis has left me in. I am so fortunate that I’ve had the support of friends, the community and incredibly kind strangers to help me survive my health crisis & shield me from as much harm as possible.

 

I’ve reached the point in my healing journey, where I am facing the daunting challenge of figuring out how to transition back into the workforce with a disabling chronic illness. My health limitations restrict me to remote positions increasing the difficulty of this task. I’m grateful for your generosity that has been instrumental in helping me get to this point, and has already made a significant difference in my life. I hope to be able to count on your continued support to help with this transition. The funds raised during this phase of my fundraiser will be used to catch up on late rent, significant expenses that incurred (like Puma & Mozart’s boarding bill, repaying friends who helped me cover rent in the past, ie) and the eventual relocation to a more immunocompromised friendly living arrangement closer to my medical providers. Your support is crucial in helping me achieve these goals. Your generosity will not only help me stay afloat but also provide the stability I need to focus on my health and rebuild my life. Every donation, no matter the size, will help me take another step towards rebuilding my life. My heartfelt thanks for your compassion and unwavering support throughout my health crisis.

We all love a comeback story please help me write mine.

Much love & gratitude,


Chenoa