Support My Fight Against Fibromyalgia

NOTE: Had to reupload a new Gofundme due to someone hacking into this. I've already got it taken care of but they deleted my fundraiser. So here we are. There is some updated info, so please read if you can.

Hello, my name is Cecily but I'm also known as Edobean online.

I'm raising funds to help pay for the debt that has built up from medical bills and to keep up with my living expenses due to Fibromyalgia and other health issues.

Please, if you can, read all of this. Though this may be long, I feel it's essential for you to understand my situation.

-History -

For a while, I've been battling a lot of medical issues in the past.

I had surgery on my left shoulder in 2016 and fought with works comp for about two years because they didn't want to take care of me anymore. I had to eventually leave the job for another to continue paying my monthly bills such as rent, food, etc.

In 2021, Jason and I had to make a quick decision to move because our roommate was hostile and not paying rent. You helped us get the money for the deposit at such short notice, and we still appreciate your help. We sadly could only afford it in an area that is not "that" great, but we make do.

Unfortunately, two events happened to us. First, Jason was in a car accident (no one got hurt, thankfully), but it totaled his car. He had to use all his savings to pay for a new (used) car. It put us down because it took away our savings. Second, I had an injury at my recent job, which put me out of commission for most of the year. Sadly, the way pay works for my current job (trust me, it's stupid), I wasn't even getting my whole paycheck as regular works comp would give me.

This injury (on my right foot, by the way) gave me other signals that something wasn't right with my health. Because I was out of commission then, I finally took the time to see what was wrong. My family health history is not the best, so I was nervous about the whole ordeal.

Towards the end of 2021, I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia.

-What is Fibromyalgia?-

For those that don't know, Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that causes widespread pain around the body. The pain stems from a problem in the way the nervous system processes pain signals. Fibromyalgia also causes several other symptoms, such as fatigue, trouble sleeping, depression, anxiety, headaches, muscle twitches/cramps, and numbness or tingling in the hands and feet.

I've learned that injuries can trigger my Fibromyalgia. My Rheumatologist believes that because I was out of commission from my injury and couldn't do as much workout, my Fibromyalgia finally got its chance to flare up. Before this recent job, I was working two part-time jobs constantly. I worked my butt off a lot, and all of that finally came to bite me back.

-What's Happening Now?-

Now that I've been diagnosed, 2022 has been quite the struggle.

After appointments, we've been trying to figure out what can help me with the pain that I deal with due to Fibromyalgia.

Medication, Physical Therapy, Behavioral Therapy, etc. I've also started to have other medical issues that I'm trying to figure out if they are connected with my Fibromyalgia. For example, I've already had a colonoscopy and a CT Scan this year.

Because of this, it has been difficult for me to work. My recent job consists of standing (full-time 8 hours with no sitting) and lifting bags (anywhere from 30-75lbs). My job didn't initially have me lift bags, but the pandemic caused many cutbacks and shortened our staff.

Because of my body not getting better, I was put on a Short Term Disability at the end of 2023. Sadly, it was quite a challenge to go through all the process so that I could receive money. There were times I didn't receive paychecks and it was very frustrating when I had bills to pay. I also had to apply for programs to help lower costs on things like electric, gas, and also food. Sadly, a lot of those programs cut those pay and now I'm receiving less help. At least it's better than nothing.

-What will the money go towards?-

Because of all these appointments, treatments, and not being able to work because of my health condition not getting any better, my debt has gotten relatively high. In addition, I'm trying to also pay for rent, which at the moment Jason has been doing that for me since I do not receive nearly enough money through Short Term Disability.

Here are the funds for medical needs:

A regular doctor's appointment can cost me around $30 per visit.

But a specialist appointment can range from $45-$250 for each visit.

Physical Therapy can cost me around $75 per session. I'm supposed to go twice a week, but with my Fibromyalgia, it sometimes becomes difficult, and I sometimes go once a week. Doing all sessions for just a month is already costing me $600. That's not even near what I need to pay for rent! (I pay $835 for rent).

Massage Therapy (to help ease my chronic pain) can range from $85 - $115 per session, depending on how long I want. Sometimes I need more than an hour to help with the chronic pain. I was going once or twice weekly, paying around $460 - $920 monthly. Unfortunately, I had to stop going for quite some time because I was using my credit card for this.

I've been told to go to Behavioral Therapy, but I've sadly put them on hold because of all these costs. I know how bad that sounds but at the same time, I, at the moment, cannot afford that. I can't imagine the costs for just one session; that is most likely just an hour.

Here is an example of one of the bills I've received. You read that right: $12,623 for this one bill. Unfortunately, my insurance didn't feel like the lab work I needed to get done was "worth" covering. Unfortunately, a lot of places just don't believe Fibromyalgia as a "real" disability and it's ridiculous.

I'm not even counting the regular bills that I need to pay. Though I mention rent, I pay for the electric bill, sometimes help with grocery pay, the consistently high gas price for driving to appointments, and all these places for doctor and therapy appointments. It piles up, and not being able to work the full-time shifts I'm supposed to have not made it any easier.

-You may be wondering: Why $30K?-

I'm in debt at around $26K in credit card debts and medical bills. I put $30 since I also need coverage for regular bills like rent, electric, internet, etc. Rent costs $1835 and Jason has been recently paying the full rent but will be running out of money soon.

I'll also be running out of money at the end of July from Short Term Disability. I've applied for Full Disability but they have told me it can take anywhere from 2-6 months. We are on the second month and I have had no word yet. This money is basically to keep a roof above us and pay the debt I've collected.

-What can I do to help?-

Once again, all funds will go towards my debt from the medical bills and cover some future medical bills I know will be coming my way. Fibromyalgia is, at the moment, something that cannot be cured. And because of that, it is basically a trial of trying different methods and medications to help me deal with my constant chronic pain.

If you can donate, it would mean the world to me. It would help my boyfriend, who has been by my side through all this. He has been so supportive and helped me when I am in constant pain. But I don't want to fail him. I want to be able to support him too. I want to be able to pull my weight too. I want us to live a much easier life, and I know my medical issues and horrible raises in prices in the State of California have made our goals been put on hold.

-What if I can't donate?-

Please spread the word. Share this and let others know. Your support helps me more than you realize.

-Conclusion-

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I hate struggling so much. I hate that I do have to ask this of you and others. But I want to be healthier and get better. And now I realize that I can't do this alone. My community is small, but I know they are one of the best when it comes to supporting. So I hope that whatever happens, I can get through this.