Hi, my name is Alexander and I am fundraising money so I can finish my undergraduate degree at Colorado State University. My degree is in English Education, and my dream is to be the coolest high school English teacher the world has ever known!
But this last winter, I began the diagnosis process for something called Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTs). Up until May, I honestly had no idea that I had the condition to begin with. I have been living with dizziness, tachycardia, fatigue, and muscle pain for years, and just thought it was normal. This process has been difficult, stressful, expensive, and life altering.
In addition to being in the process of getting diagnosed with POTs, I am a first generation student. I am federally independent at the age of 22 because I don’t have supportive parents since I am transgender. It’s never been “if” I go to college- it’s been “when.” My trans and queer identities have made navigating college and the medical system feel impossible at times. In June, I went through a barrage of tests, and I am still waiting on results to confirm my diagnosis and rule out a handful of other conditions.
These last few months have been a roller coaster with one urgency after another. In April, my partner and I had to suddenly move because we experienced harassment and targeted homophobia that made us no longer safe in our first apartment together. About a month after that, my kitten decided to go rouge and eat 7 foam ear plugs, and I had to pay for emergency vet bills.
After that, I decided to withdraw from one of my summer classes due to the intensity of both the course load and my diagnosis. Since I withdrew, I am now staring down a bill over $3000 dollars in tuition fees, and the possibility that I can’t get financial aid or work study to put me through my last year of school. I am trying to appeal part of the charge on my account, which should *fingers crossed* leave me with around $1700 I still owe.
On top of all of my school fees, medical supplies for POTs have also been super expensive. Salt tablets, compression gear, mobility aids, medication, electrolytes, blood pressure cuffs, shower chairs and pulse oximeters are not cheap.
My goal of $2500 will relieve the charge from my account and help me afford necessities so I can maintain my health and graduate. I am worried that I won’t be able to pay off the charge in time and will have to delay my graduation and teaching dream.
I want to thank everyone for taking the time to read my story and donate. If you can share my story to help me raise the funds for this goal I would be humbled and grateful. My dream is to finish college, and I don’t want a few hard months and a tuition charge to be the thing that stops me! www.gofundme.com
