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- Famine's house.
- Milford_Cubicle
Hi *waves*
I know I don't post very often but my husband does so he makes up for me
I'm looking for some help. I tentatively posted in the Infield a few days ago asking if perhaps maybe people might want to help me out and I was so blown away by the generous response, I'm now going to ask here where more lovely GTP-types can read my plea.
Here's what I wrote:
Ok, so long and drawn out but kind of necessary to explain my situation. I was then further encouraged by good friends to look into the crowdfunding option. It seems Justgiving have that very thing and so I set a page up, not really expecting much help and just look what happened:
Some other wonderful types also requested PayPal details, kdixon1978@hotmail.com is the address
I know I don't post very often but my husband does so he makes up for me
I'm looking for some help. I tentatively posted in the Infield a few days ago asking if perhaps maybe people might want to help me out and I was so blown away by the generous response, I'm now going to ask here where more lovely GTP-types can read my plea.
Here's what I wrote:
This is me:
I am, to all intents and purposes, a normal looking person. I love Person of Interest, my husband, my kids and my animals. I love my friends. I try to be a good human being, I help people whenever I can, I give to charity, I give blood. I am a nurse. I try not to complain, generally I "get on with it" because that's life and I am aware there are very many who are worse off than me.
However, I am tired, I am in pain, I want to lay in bed and not get up because my bed is comfy. But then I'd get stiff and the pain would get worse. I have kids to look after and a job to do.
I have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome which is essentially faulty collagen. I don't have the correct building blocks to ensure my body can function normally. I am lucky because I have Type 3 (hypermobility) and that is the only type which generally doesn't cause death due to spontaneous rupture of major blood vessels. I am also lucky because the EDS spectrum is massive - at one end you have someone who is hypermobile but suffers no health issues. At the other end you have someone who cannot keep their joints in place as they continually dislocate, they cannot eat normally and must have tubes in place, they are essentially profoundly disabled.
I am lucky because I sit somewhere in the middle. I don't dislocate, but my joints are loose and one day probably will start to pop out. I injure very easily but never broken bones, only ever tears to my muscles, tendons and ligaments. We EDSers tend to bounce rather than break! I have constant pain, but being used to this most days I can cope with it. Colder and damper weather makes the pain worse. Living in the UK is not ideal! I suffer with gastric problems, bowel problems, anxiety, depression (which is at the moment well controlled fortunately), dental issues, it's the reason I require glasses...it goes on. Aside from the pain, the other major factor is fatigue. Because I don't have the correct building blocks, my body has to work harder to try and keep everything together and in the right place. This is tiring. It causes muscle fatigue, and in turn, issues with mobility. I also have anaemia because of the medication I take to control the gastric symptoms whilst trying to keep the constant inflammation under control. I've tried pretty much every drug you can think of to try and control my symptoms, but the simple fact is, as I get older, it gets worse.
I rely heavily upon my car to get me from A to Z (usually via the rest of the alphabet if I'm ferrying my kids around). I have a disabled parking permit which is an absolute godsend. And I have a very excellent pair of lightweight purple Ossenberg elbow crutches very kindly donated to me. Recently I was assessed as requiring a wheelchair to help me get around, one which I propel myself in an attempt to maintain some independence and be able to use the train to get to and from work, without needing to spend a small fortune on taxi fares. It's a bit of a trek to drive to work and city centres in this country are gradually trying to shove cars out so it's a bit of a battle anyway!
The NHS in this country are brilliant, but limited. They have supplied me with the best wheelchair they could possibly manage, which really is fab but frustrating because it's just too heavy and bulky for me to manage effectively. I can propel myself short distances, taking my time but then I need several days to recover. I tore the muscles in my upper back the first time I used it (for 5 minutes!!). I am 37 and although I accept I am disabled, I am NOT done yet!!
The crux of the matter is that I need a lightweight chair. And as you'd expect, they do not come cheap. I'm hoping to get a Quickie or an Ottobock but these are around £1.5 - £2k.
I've researched charities who can help with this kind of thing, but understandably they're limited to kids, or those of all ages who are profoundly disabled. Which means of course I feel guilty even posting this. Jordan (who is a really good friend of Famine & I) did encourage me to write this, to essentially ask if anyone is willing to perhaps donate a couple of $/£/whatever to try and help me get me what I need, please?
If you've read this far, thanks so much. If you maybe want to help, then even more thanks!
Ok, so long and drawn out but kind of necessary to explain my situation. I was then further encouraged by good friends to look into the crowdfunding option. It seems Justgiving have that very thing and so I set a page up, not really expecting much help and just look what happened:
Hello again lovely GTPers. The website justgiving.com now have a crowdfunding section which I have utilised. The URL is
https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/naked-ravens
and I would then appreciate you all sharing the **** out of it please!! Share with anyone you think it might help or who might want to help. I have had my chair assessment done, the company are now just waiting for me to give the OK to submit my order, which has come to a total of £2065.
Here you can see the order which has been created for me.
On that page you also have the option of looking at the brochure for the chair should you so wish, and also an order form which breaks down the costing so you can see what goes into the chair.
And please don't worry, that is a stock photo... if I manage to raise enough, the chair I order will be purple of course
Some other wonderful types also requested PayPal details, kdixon1978@hotmail.com is the address
