Hello there. I just want to thank you for taking the time to read this request.
My name is Daniel, I am going to start off with my request and then underneath I will explain my story and why I am requesting help from stranger.
In a nut shell I am hoping someone will be able to help me get my independence back with a little bit of financial support. In 2020 I was diagnosed with a condition called Chronic Cluster headache syndrome (more on this later) and it has affected my ability to work full time and more importantly it does not allow me to meet my employers expectations as I am often off ill due to the severity of the pain the condition puts me through. It has affected my mental health due to not being able to fully provide for my family and the isolating nature of the illness. The reason I am requesting aid from a perfect stranger is because I do not know what else to do at this point. I have a plan to allow myself to become financially self sufficient however it requires some start up funds – I have always wanted to own a food van business, I love cooking for people and seeing the look of enjoyment on their faces brings me much joy and happiness, food has a way of bringing people together and good food will always be in demand. By owning a family run business it will allow me a modicum of freedom when it comes to working hours, my partner will also be on hand to support the business so if I have a bad day health wise someone will still be there to serve our clients, this will remove a huge amount of pressure from me having to worry about letting my employers down and the constant fear of losing my job.
The money provided will go towards procuring transportation, equipment, licences, training, insurance, pitch fees and produce. My plan is not to buy the best of everything to begin with, firstly because we do not have the funds and secondly because it is not necessary when we are starting out. Once we have worked out the kinks of running a food van and once the business is making a profit then we will look into buying new equipment and spending a little bit more on transportation and signage etc.
My Story
Up until July of 2020 I was a healthy adult male living in the UK, I had never really suffered any health issues, never broke a bone and I didn’t catch covid-19. I was working full time as a design Consultant for a prominent retailer based in the UK earning good money in a respectable job. Then I developed Chronic cluster headache syndrome a rare neurological condition that causes severe attacks (headaches doesnt do them justice) to happen several times a day for a period of weeks or months. The pain comes on suddenly and without much warning, it happens at random times throughout the day, certain things trigger them (bright lights, strong smells, pressure on the right side of my head) but they also occur on their own without any stimulation.
Not much is know about the condition or what causes it except that it last for life and is incurable all that can be done is pain management. As there is not a lot known about the condition it often gets miss diagnosed as a common migraine causing sufferers to go without correct treatment for long periods of time. This is similar to what happened to me, one Monday I woke up in the most intense pain I had ever experienced – It felt like the right hand side of my head and face was being stabbed over and over, my right eye felt like someone was trying to gouge it out with a spoon and was watering none stop. Nothing I did stopped the pain – over the counter painkillers like paracetamol and ibuprofen were ineffective. My GP told me that it was a migraine and that I needed to get this certain medicine from the pharmacy, I took the prescribed medication and it brought no relief from the attacks. After about a week of suffering multiple attacks during the day and night I was rushed into hospital to have a CT scan and some blood tests. The test came back inconclusive as none of the tests showed anything of concern or a possible cause of the attacks, I was advised to get an eye test and try and stay out of bright lights. This would go on for a couple of months until my GP finally referred me to a Neurologist to discuss my condition. It was here that I was told that I was suffering from cluster headache syndrome and finally was prescribed the correct medication to ease the pain. I was prescribed oral, nasal and injections of Sumatriptan which is an abortive medication which stops the pain during an attack however, I can only use it twice a day which is never enough as it is a very strong medication and it is not designed for long term use but at this moment in time I will take short term relief even if it means long term complications.
Whilst I was able to manage the pain now, I was not free from the attacks which continued to occur every day and night. After about 6 months my neurologist suggested that I try and have procedure where a nerve blocker is installed in my head to try and prevent the attacks occuring, she explained that it would involve having an injection in the back of my head where a steroid would be injected to block the Greater occipital nerve. I had the procedure and it was successful, I did not have an attack for about 3 months and once they started again I could have another Nerve blocker put in. Three times I had the nerve blocker installed in 2021 and each time it provided relief for a shorter period. I was also prescribed home oxygen therapy which is a much safer form of pain relief with zero side effects, the only issue I have with it is that it is not portable and therefore I am restricted to using it at home.
In September of 2021 my mental health had begun to deteriorate, the nerve blockers were not lasting and the attacks were continuing to occur. I was having more and more time off work which meant that I was losing money, getting more stressed which led to more attacks and in the end I had to give up my job. Being a design consultant means that you need to build up a client base and be able to manage their projects from the point of enquiry to the point of installation but this condition meant that I was often missing deadlines and being unable to meet with clients at prearranged times leading to a lot of dissatisfaction with me and the company I was employed by. This was the biggest blow to my self esteem losing the career I loved and the ability to provide for my family was a difficult pill to swallow.
I have had to sign up for government support to help pay the rent and bills which means that the quality of my families life has deteriorated significantly since I was struck down with this condition. I have always worked for what I have in life and wish to continue to do so and I truly feel that having a little food van business will allow me to regain my independence and ability to provide for my family as every man should.
Thank you for taking the time to read my story. Any help that you can provide would be most appreciated, I have not requested a specific amount because it is down to you to choose what you see is fit. I am happy to communicate via email to show any progress that is made and to discuss how the business is going. It goes without saying that you will always get a free meal should you ever stumble upon my van :)
Daniel J, 31, UK.
paypal.me/DanCluster2020