Help Kristen Survive Chronic Disease & Disability
Donation protected
Updated April 4, 2024
First, thank you for taking the time to read this. My friend Kristen is in dire need of your support as she is fighting for her life with every ounce of strength she has left. Years back, Kristen was a thriving individual with a promising career, fiancé, and dreams of starting her own family. But then, she was diagnosed with many chronic ailments, including Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Late-Stage Lyme Disease, Polymyositis, Endometriosis, Severe Fibromyalgia, ME/CFS, Dysautonomia, POTS, Scoliosis, and Fibroids. She never thought this would happen to her and always did everything “right” with her health, but was dealt a horrific hand. She has had to watch everyone around her move forward, accomplish their dreams, have families, and thrive while she is bedridden and suffering. This has caused her a great amount of emotional grief on top of the physical pain.
She is in constant chronic pain and discomfort, and whenever I speak to her on the phone, I can hear the pain in her voice. It’s gut wrenching. She gets no breaks from the pain and sickness; it’s 24/7. Every movement causes additional pain, including just sitting upright. As she would say, “My body and brain are broken” and “I am not safe in my own body.” It's an ongoing battle with debilitating fatigue, widespread severe pain, cognitive dysfunction, neurological issues, muscle spasms, extreme weakness, joint instability, migraines, nausea, chronic fever, dizziness, heart problems, and heat intolerance. It’s a situation that most of us will never fully comprehend, but it’s her daily reality. She has been officially disabled since 2015.
Kristen has suffered in silence for a decade now and desperately needs financial assistance as her long-term care has run out, and she has sold many of her possessions to make ends meet. She will need more treatments, procedures, medications, supplements, as well as other basic living expenses. Any amount you can give will be greatly appreciated.
Kristen says, “I never knew it was possible for one small body to be so sick and have such extreme pain for so long. There are no cures or fixes for any of it. I’m grateful to have a team of wonderful doctors who communicate with each other about my care, and that is very rare. We’ve tried just about everything in the past 7+ years, and I feel much more like a science project than a human. I’ve lost pretty much all of my abilities, and I live in my bed as a result. I’m trying so hard to survive and make it on my own. I’m just not okay, and I need your help to keep going. Although I often wish to escape this sick body, I want to try for another year because of concerning new symptoms and overwhelming disease progression. I’m committed to raising awareness about chronic disease and disability, and I hope that sharing my story will help others. Please remember that anyone can become disabled at any time. Thank you so much for your support.”
Studies show that a disabled person needs 20K more than an abled person per year just to exist, and she has found this to be true. The rising costs of everything and Medicare coverage changes are stressful, and it would mean the world to her if you or anyone you know could donate.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading, donating, and sharing!
-Brad
Before:
Now:
First, thank you for taking the time to read this. My friend Kristen is in dire need of your support as she is fighting for her life with every ounce of strength she has left. Years back, Kristen was a thriving individual with a promising career, fiancé, and dreams of starting her own family. But then, she was diagnosed with many chronic ailments, including Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Late-Stage Lyme Disease, Polymyositis, Endometriosis, Severe Fibromyalgia, ME/CFS, Dysautonomia, POTS, Scoliosis, and Fibroids. She never thought this would happen to her and always did everything “right” with her health, but was dealt a horrific hand. She has had to watch everyone around her move forward, accomplish their dreams, have families, and thrive while she is bedridden and suffering. This has caused her a great amount of emotional grief on top of the physical pain.
She is in constant chronic pain and discomfort, and whenever I speak to her on the phone, I can hear the pain in her voice. It’s gut wrenching. She gets no breaks from the pain and sickness; it’s 24/7. Every movement causes additional pain, including just sitting upright. As she would say, “My body and brain are broken” and “I am not safe in my own body.” It's an ongoing battle with debilitating fatigue, widespread severe pain, cognitive dysfunction, neurological issues, muscle spasms, extreme weakness, joint instability, migraines, nausea, chronic fever, dizziness, heart problems, and heat intolerance. It’s a situation that most of us will never fully comprehend, but it’s her daily reality. She has been officially disabled since 2015.
Kristen has suffered in silence for a decade now and desperately needs financial assistance as her long-term care has run out, and she has sold many of her possessions to make ends meet. She will need more treatments, procedures, medications, supplements, as well as other basic living expenses. Any amount you can give will be greatly appreciated.
Kristen says, “I never knew it was possible for one small body to be so sick and have such extreme pain for so long. There are no cures or fixes for any of it. I’m grateful to have a team of wonderful doctors who communicate with each other about my care, and that is very rare. We’ve tried just about everything in the past 7+ years, and I feel much more like a science project than a human. I’ve lost pretty much all of my abilities, and I live in my bed as a result. I’m trying so hard to survive and make it on my own. I’m just not okay, and I need your help to keep going. Although I often wish to escape this sick body, I want to try for another year because of concerning new symptoms and overwhelming disease progression. I’m committed to raising awareness about chronic disease and disability, and I hope that sharing my story will help others. Please remember that anyone can become disabled at any time. Thank you so much for your support.”
Studies show that a disabled person needs 20K more than an abled person per year just to exist, and she has found this to be true. The rising costs of everything and Medicare coverage changes are stressful, and it would mean the world to her if you or anyone you know could donate.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading, donating, and sharing!
-Brad
Before:
Now:
Organizer
Kristen Strawbridge
Organizer
Chicago, IL