Forest Aid - Helping Forest get a lifesaving operation

My name is Forest, but lots of folk know me as Vashti.

I got sick over 4 years ago. I woke in terrible rising pain. The emergency department didn't manage the pain so I just lay very still for the better part of 3 months.

I had been managing the effects of a connective tissue disorder for 8 years. I was organising meetups for the local Ehlers Danlos Syndrome community and helping people find competent medical help. I was well versed in pushing through pain and finding solutions where other people said there were none. But there is no pushing through this. Any exertion puts me in bad pain and terrible dizziness. I was suddenly really unsteady. It was scary. I reached out to my community - one thing described all my symptoms: vascular compression syndromes. It took me a terrible 2½ years of hard work to reach an official diagnosis.

I have severe Nutcracker Syndrome and May Thurner Syndrome.

They are rare vascular compressions, and though they are debilitating, the vascular department has told me conclusively that there are no treatment options in this country.

My health is failing steadily, I lost 20% of my body weight and it is impacting my heart now too. I had a stroke-like episode that left me weak for months, with ongoing neurological episodes. Though I have no means to, I need to seek help overseas. I need to raise over $90K – to pay for surgery, meds, follow up care, travel, kai and accommodation. The surgery will treat my condition and restore my quality of life.