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Bonnie Burgette hasn't added a story.
My name is Bonnie. I am a writer who lives in Memphis, TN with my boyfriend, Forrest. In 2011, shortly after he and I began dating, I was diagnosed with Lyme disease via a positive blood test. I was unable to begin treatment until 2013, which means that the disease had at least 2 years to infiltrate my body and cause damage (we're unsure of how long I'd had it before then, but given my medical history, the estimate is that I've had it since 1997).
The main photo shown is from August 2013, a little over a month after I started my first round of antibiotic treatment. It left me unable to breathe properly, and the pain from the disease combined with the breathlessness made walking very difficult. At times, it was impossible to even get to the bathroom without help. We bought a very cheap chair from Harbor Freight, and until the footrests broke, it worked fine for very short outings.
A kind friend (also a Lyme sufferer) was able to lend me a better chair later that year, and I used it until I was declared to be in remission in November 2014. I returned the chair in February 2015, and it was given to someone else.
I relapsed this year, in June, after only 7 months, and due to Lyme's tendency to be hard to cure, my antibiotic therapy has been even more aggressive, once again affecting my ability to get around; it has also been discovered that I have osteoarthritis. A cane has been okay for short distances, but I am becoming housebound, again. This is something I very much want to avoid.
Forrest and I were going to buy a chair very soon, but the recent storm in Memphis knocked out our power, and we were forced to stay in a hotel due to my medical issues and the heat. All of our food spoiled after the 72 hours without power, and we were forced to throw it away. All-told, we've spent over $400 on the storm. While that doesn't seem like much, it's the money we'd saved to get me a wheelchair. Forrest is the sole breadwinner due to my illness. This has been a great strain.
I have plans, to see friends and attend weddings. I'm not wanting to be closed off from the world, again. I am asking for help to be able to continue to live my life as best I can, while being a part of the lives of those around me. The thing required for this, at the very core, is mobility. I do not have that, currently.
The amount I'm asking for is to cover the cost of a chair that I can use to get around in multiple locations, that will last me until the end of this treatment round, while also being sturdy enough that I can use it in the future, should I relapse, again. There is a medical supply company close to my home which sells chairs as a discount, allowing me to get a quality chair without spending too much.
We've found a chair (see video - sorry for poor quality), and were able to get a very steep discount. With tax, and barring any surprises, the total cost should be around $500.
Any additional funds will go toward medical bills.
If anyone has any questions about my condition, or would like more details about this campaign, please don't hesitate to ask. I am happy to answer.
Thank you so much for visiting!
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