Tis' the Season for Giving Back.

       
Many of you know Mandolyn from over the years and her days living every young persons dream of having a never ending smile, contaigious energy, curiosity, and a non-stop social life full of friends and good times. Simulantously, she exelled and completed her schooling obtaining a Masters degree in higher education. 
              
You may know Mandolyn from her days while schooing in Vermont or Boston. Or from her days in South Korea, riding around on her motorcycle and toning it down to teaching high school students, or her days where she worked her butt off behind many bars from the East Coast to the West Coast to pay for her ambitious, adventurous, self-sustained life. Mandolyn has such pride in what she has accomplished and has always worked hard to become a better person, help others and be on her own to take care of herself. 
             
Or maybe you don't know Mandolyn at all (in which case you are missing out.) But if you do know her, your memories of her are probably of her high energy. Her go, go, go attitude. Her lack of fear. Her daydreaming about seeing the world and owning a goat farm. Her never ending curiosity and independence (sometimes to a fault). 
              
This is the Mandolyn we all know, but this is not who she is right now. Eight months ago, Mandolyn started to get sick. Instead of telling anyone because of her fear of being a "burden", she instead moved into a RV so save money and hopefully get well on her own. She has been visiting the hospital and seeing specialists, waiting patiently to heal, all the while her health has deteriorated immensely. Instead of moping around, she has had high spirits and kept her social media upbeat, playing it off as "just another adventure." Currently, Mandolyn is awaiting diagnosis but all signs are pointing in the direction of Multiple Sclerosis and/or Lyme disease.
             
She has been wearing a heart monitor and just had a CT scan in which she is awaiting results. Her symptoms come and go, with good days and bad, but are:

-Seziures
-Black outs and fainting
-Extreme fatigue
-Memory loss
-Loss of feeling in her arms and legs
-Difficulty walking
-Bells Palsy
- Brain "fog"
-Irregular heart beat/racing
-High blood pressure
-Depression
-Extreme thirst
-Shooting pain in her limbs
-Arms losing circulation
-Deteriorated eyesight
Following along side by side with her poor health is financial troubles. 

 Because she isn't able to work like she used to (though she is stubborn and still tries) she has been living on little to nothing. She no longer has a car, just her RV, making it almost impossible to get to work on the days she feels she can. Her RV has broken down and needs repairs as well. She has no hot water, no heat and only has electricity and refrigeration if she is at a campground, which she no longer can afford. She has been living on the street on and off in her RV without any amenities to save money or get to the doctor.
               
Mandolyn cannot be on her own any longer. She needs her friends now more than ever. She needs the global community she has built in her 31 years of adventure hopping this globe. 
              
 Tis' the season for giving back. If you can and have the means to lend a hand (and a few dollars) to help her up. We are raising this money for:

-RV repairs to get her RV running so she can drive with her cats the 14hrs to her mother's house to stay while she seeks medical attention
- Money for medical tests/specialists- Mandolyn's insurance does not cover a Lyme disease test or specialists that she needs to see
-Gas money to get from Los Angeles to Oregon where her mother lives.
- Money to cover the basic costs of life during this difficult tim.

Help us get Mandolyn back on her feet. Help Mandolyn get well. We want back the Mandolyn we all know. We want the Mandolyn that talks to fast to understand, is able and happy to explore the world and work her butt off to support herself and do so, has no off button or filter and laughs that famous, obnoxious laugh of hers without struggling.

Every little bit helps, she doesn't know I am setting this up for her. She never asks for help (a true flaw in her stubborn independance), but has always helped me see a brighter and better side of life. I have known her for 10+ years, and have spoken with her recently about her troubles. It was not the same as talking to the woman I once knew. It was clear that now is the time I help her see a brighter and better side of things by reaching out for her. I can't help her with lifes fiancial battles, that become so much more apparent when one is sick, on my own. By making this I hope to rally friends of Mandolyn and strangers who may not know her yet, old and new, near and far to led a hand to a woman that needs us now more than ever.
     
Even if you are unable to donate, keep her in your heart and well wishes for her in your thoughts. With the money raised all proceeds will go to her directly and aid in helping one of the worlds most amazing woman get the medical treatment she needs, get healthy, get to where she needs to go to do so, and sustain her till she has a diagnosis, course of treatment, and the ability to get back on her feet and show us all once again what living life is all about.

Mandolyn has to stay in CA through Thanksgiving to attend some long awaited Dr's appointments, but hopes to be on the way to her moms for support before the Year end holidays. Lets help her spend the rest of the holidays near her family with a little less burden to worry about and more room in her life to focus on getting the correct treament abnd tests she needs and most of all getting healthy and  well.