Support Philip's Fight Against Neurological Disorder

Hello. My name is Philip and I have recently been diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder. This is a rare disorder that caused my brain and body to not want to work together anymore. This all started on 3/15/2024 when I went to work even though I had facial paralysis. My coworker noticed something wasn’t right and came to comfort me and told me I should go to the doctor. Fast forward to my boss taking me to the emergency room when I was then admitted as they thought I was having a stroke. I stayed there overnight and they released me as I had someone that would always be at home with me to help me. They told me I had a mini stroke. Once I was home I was feeling fine and thought maybe a week off work would be ideal and my boss helped get me on FMLA just in case.

After feeling decent most of that week I thought I could push through and start working again. That weekend I had what is called a flare up that basically felt like my whole body was paralyzed and the pain was like nothing I have ever felt before. After that day I haven’t been the same and continue to have these flare ups and I can’t walk very well at all so I need to use a 4 wheel walker to push myself around the house and a wheel chair when I’m out. Most of the time I’m only out of the house to go to appointments but recently I have tried to do one day where I go out for an hour or two into the real world just to keep my spirits high.

Once I got this diagnosis I was told I have a lot of physical therapy and occupational therapy to try to help me be able to possibly walk again without balance issues, weakness, feeling dizzy or the extreme fatigue that comes with trying to “walk”. By walk I can’t stand upright at all and it’s more a hunched over attempt to move to where I need. Even typing this story is very tiring for my arms and hands which end up feeling like they are on fire and go numb.

I continue to get more medical bills as this continues and already owe over $2500 to the emergency room itself which I haven’t been able to get on a payment plan as $230 a month is just too much with my reduced income and trying to afford the normal items like food and a roof over my head and all the extra things I need to get around and help me.

Even though through this I continue to stay strong and motivated to turn this around. I tell myself daily I can do this and I take things moment by moment instead of day by day as that seems easier for me to just deal with what’s happening right then and there. This disorder has also caused me to have memory issues and I barely remember the day before.

Thank you for reading my story and anything to help would be greatly appreciated and help to alleviate the financial stress this has brought me.