Support Michelle's Journey to a Better Quality of Life

Hello, I am Michelle Harper, a 49-year-old lady from Michigan. I have endured life being born without muscles in both eyelids and the nerves in my brain that operate my eyes being severely underdeveloped, and the other just never developed. My eyes jittered from the lack of nerve activity in my brain to operate correctly. My pupils were moved off-center and slightly downward to stop the jittery movement. My right eye didn’t cooperate so well, and that pupil was moved so far inward I was looking at my nose most of my life. I have had so many surgeries you need several hands to count them all. My right eye got the most procedures because of the slow progress. Yet the issue was never corrected. My very last surgery was at around 43 to cosmetically lift my eyebrow to the proper place to at least appear like I have two normal eyes. I can’t safely have any more surgery because the scar tissue behind my eye is so thick and plentiful.

Fast forward to the age of 45, I moved to Texas for a life change and medical discovery. I just knew something else was wrong, yet no answers from any physician in Michigan came, nor were they properly exploring my issues I constantly verbalized. Almost 4 months after being in my new home state, I began walking with a cane because I was very unsteady on my feet. Then the results I was seeking finally happened. 7 months into Texas living, I was diagnosed with cerebellum degeneration (misspelled previously) which kind of explained the migration to me having to use a walker daily. The small brain that controls balance, coordination and central gravity is shrinking. The cane was just not enough anymore as I continued to live my life. I’m told that there is no cure and the form I have is hereditary. Through research and discovery, I found out it came from my biological father, whom I only met for the first time when I was 42 years old. Apparently, this condition has been slowly developing throughout my entire life, and I had no clue. I was a very, very active athletic young person who enjoyed ballroom dancing and being active as an adult. I was a woman who always wore very high heel shoes all the time to being a person who can only exclusively wear flats or sneakers. (Vain, I know, but it’s the truth). Now, at the point where I am getting older (I’ll be 50 soon), I still want to enjoy life with what I can do. However, walking is difficult during any distance, and the way I have to hold my head to see makes me easily tired and more unsteady.

I am trying to purchase an electric mobility scooter to go longer distances, travel, and do more things I cannot do right now. Insurance will not pay for it. They only will pay for wheelchairs and the non-portable scooters. Unless everyone I know has a handicap-accessible van, having that type of device is not possible for continued quality of life. I work from home; however, with the continued growth in the cost of living, saving for this has proven impossible. I am honestly and desperately asking for help with this. I don’t know what else to do, for I have tried for the last few years on my own with no good results. I can do more things, be more independent, and decrease the sadness and depression I have because life for me has changed and probably won’t improve. With the mobility scooter, at least it will become more independently manageable.

Whatever you donate goes directly to this purchase and nothing else. I’m just seeking to enjoy life, albeit as it relates to my changed reality.