Blepharoplasty

What I was told by the eye specialist:

"You can help keep your eyelids up by using tape purchased from Boots, and just use sunglasses if you have to go to an event."

That's what the eye specialist said to me upon seeing my blepharitis. Use tape and sunglasses.

My story:

So, at the age of 11 years old, I managed to not only survive the nightmare universally known as puberty, but I also survived what's known as a trauma-induced full right hind quarter amputation. This means my coccyx, right butt cheek, right hip, and entire right leg were amputated on-site. Pretty gory, don't you think?

Anyhoo, I'm now 37 years old and I have a nifty powerchair to help me have the luxury known as Life. Except I don't have much of one at the moment, as my eyelids have moved into my eyeballs. This causes a ton of problems, right from ghosting and blind spots on my vision, which causes me to miss things like windows.

If I have one more accident, I stand to have my nifty powerchair taken off my through the inability to use it safely.

The problem:

Ptosis and Blepharoplasty run in my family, and over the last 18 months or so, my eyelids have begun to excessively droop and now interfere with my vision.

Last year, I ended up smashing into the window of a local restaurant because my left eyelid covered half of my left eyeball. The sagging was so bad, the nurse at A&E couldn't put stitches in, as the crease wouldn't have allowed for proper healing. All she could do was clean me up as best she could and send me home.

Despite it being on record my issue is hereditary and having a massively negative impact on my existence, the eye specialist I saw still informed me my issue is Cosmetic. That the drooping wasn't "Bad enough" to warrant treatment as they were "Just over" the lash line.

She then oh so helpfully explained that I could "Buy tape from Boots to tape my eyelids vertically and just wear sunglasses if I have to go out anywhere."

After being stopped several times to be asked "Why are you wearing sunglasses in the middle of winter?" and "Why do you have sellotape on your eyelids?" I basically stopped going out because the humiliation was only matched by how degrading it is to go out with your eyelids sellotaped to your eyebrows.

I haven't been able to wear eye makeup in two years, and it's something I would dearly love to do again. I would also love to go away on my weekend away in October without the need for tape and glue on my eyelids.

How you can help:

I've just heard back from a plastic surgeon who has offered to perform the surgery I need for an amazing £2,500, which is a wonderful thing for him to do.

You can help by getting the word out and sharing my campaign on your social media, and of course by donating. So please, get to sharing and help me raise the money I need to be able to live again.

Thank you for reading, and thank you in advance.

Much love, Judith xxx