I GAVE MYSELF A LIFE …… YOU CAN TOO!

I GAVE MYSELF A LIFE.....SO CAN YOU

I am a 62 year old woman that has lived with chronic illness (epilepsy) from age 8. I have managed to improve my epilepsy from having a seizure every 10 seconds (according to eeg) to having an eeg reading a few months ago of normal brain activity. I continue to have petite mal seizures but few and far between but and am still on medication which won't be stopped ever.

By age 42 I'd had 2 operations one to insert a vagus nerve simulator and a year later removing it. It had made me incontinent and added other negative symptoms.

At age 47/48 I was advised that I had thyroid cancer. I had 3 surgeries for that and of course radiation treatment. I was put onto medication to control and try to replace the function of my thyroid.
At age 50-53 I was again advised that I had cancer, this time of the uterus and ovaries. I had a full hysterectomy.

At age 60 I was diagnosed with Systemic Lupus. I suffered with a terrible skin condition, fatigue, depression, mouth lesions etc etc. I was eventually hospitalized in a critical situation. I remained in hospital wrapped in bandages (stocking-net) from my neck to under my feet receiving treatment twice daily. I had to continue this treatment after being discharged and sent home with more meds.
After 3 weeks of being discharged from hospital I was rushed back in excruciating pain. They discovered that I had IBS and sodium levels of 120. I remained in hospital again for a period of time trying to bring sodium levels up and control pain of the IBS. I was discharged only to be brought back to the hospital approximately a week to ten days later. I had Shingles. Of course this was also very painful and after a 10 day stay in hospital I was discharged.
2 weeks later I was taken by ambulance back to hospital where they found that I had a terrible hernia which could have twisted my colon and even sucked it inside of the actual hernia. This would have caused my colon to have gone gangrenes. I had to have a huge op to repair the hernia and colon. The pain was terrible for weeks afterwards.

I now continue to fight for my life.... but not in conspain pai any longer. I love my life .... always have. Only the will to live, the love of life, the determination to beat whatever was in my way and a lot of powerful, positive, believing that I would come out at the other end being a winner, pulled me through.

I learned at a very young age that your life is your own, we each walk our own roads and yes, people can walk a little way with you here and there but ultimately it is your road, stand up and walk it or get left behind. I believe that you get NOWHERE by standing around saying 'WHY ME'..... I stand up .... look it in the eyes and say, ..... 'COME ON AND TRY ME'.

This funding I would use to find someone to write a book on my life in depth, in order to assist others in a similar or the same situations that I have found myself in. I would also require assistance in being enabled to give Awareness Talks, Inspirational Talks, Encouragement Talks and assist others to stand up and fight for their valuable lives.

I'm planning on going to LA around March/April 2019 and would like to start speaking and encouraging anyone that are interested in listening and would like encouragement. I would also like to focus on the world of show business. There are great numbers of people that suffer in silence in that arena and feel they can't speak out. I would like to be able to bring a new awareness not only to the everyday man on the street but to those who feel lost and alone because they feel they can't speak out!

I know no-one in the US, I have never been there and would like to be able to continue the work I'm doing here in SA but in the US and wherever anyone will listen. I have an Invisible Illnesses- Support Each Other facebook Group Page which assists others with anything from Depression, OCD, Heart Disease, Cancer, Hyperthyroidism, Fibromyalga, Chrons, Self harming, Eating disorders .... the list goes on. Due to this group a number of suicides have been prevented and I try to assist where I can with families that do not have the financial funding to seek assistance for their depression, anxiety, bipolar etc. I source professionals that are prepared to work for a minimum donation and that way assist in them receiving the treatment they require. By my arranging for the relevant therapists to see them at a minimal fee and I help them find their feet again.

I would love to continue this work and expand and become more vocal. The US is the place to no expand and broaden out so that more AWARENESS is brought to the public as well as a voice been given to those that have no voice. I have found in South Africa (where I live in Cape Town) there is apathy and a spark of interest that soon fizzles out, I think due to the stigma which is still attached to many invisible illnesses in this country. People are still too embarrassed to speak about having depression, epilepsy, etc etc because I feel there is just so much discrimination against Invisible Illnesses due to the lack of knowledge. I feel as well that those who are sufferers all too often sit back and expect things to be done for them, use the illness as a crutch, adopt the defeatist attitude and throw the towel in before they even try to help themselves. That needs to change, that kind of negative thinking and feeling of entitlement (due to them being ill) needs to change! We have to understand that this is our life, I road to walk and only we can do that for ourselves.

I would appreciate any and all assistance offered. I have managed to save enough money for my airfare to the US as well as a couple of months reasonably price rental for a room. I will continue to save until March but will need assistance in all aspects whilst I am there. Offers of accommodation, suggestions on who to get in touch with regarding my venture and of course funding would be greatly appreciated and make my book a reality which in turn will assist others in many areas of life, health, mind power and attitude etc.

Many thanks for having taken the time to read my story. Your donations are greatly appreciate by all of those with Invisible Illnesses, those without will benefit by gaining insight and understanding of the fact that although an illness may be invisible, it is still very real.