My name is Anja, I’m a single mum, and there’s nothing I’d rather be – but I’m slowly running out of steam...

The following lines describe my situation and my request to you...

I have two boys, both absolutely brilliant.

My eldest has always been a medical case. Even during the pregnancy, unexplained abnormalities arose, but no further significance was attached to them at the time. Immediately after the birth, however, the problems began. Abnormalities with his head, abnormalities with his hips, abnormalities with his growth. Everything was examined repeatedly; at one point we were seeing 20 different doctors on a regular basis. None of these doctors could make a diagnosis, and still can’t to this day. But everyone treated him in their own way; even hip operations were carried out after years of trial and error (bilateral dysplasia at the age of 12). All his joints are affected and cause problems. Because he wasn’t growing enough, a new drug at the time was tried on him. For years, I had to give him injections at home twice a day. This treatment was abruptly ended with the words,“Right, I wish you all the best; the therapy is over. The drug is very expensive and it hasn’t helped anyway.”

Shortly before my eldest turned 18, he spontaneously developed a rare form of epilepsy. It cannot be controlled with medication. The doctors believe it is all down to the underlying condition – which, however, could never be diagnosed. According to the doctors, he is a medical anomaly. As a result of his falls, he has already suffered (irreparable) injuries to his skull, vertebrae and shoulder. Although he is now over 20 years old, he cannot live independently. So he lives with me. He wasn’t even allowed to start a vocational training course normally. The benefits office just put obstacles in his way. Now he’s doing an apprenticeship, which is the only one the Job Centre has approved for him. He wouldn’t have been able to get any other one funded. In fact, we don’t receive any financial support from anywhere at all, because grey areas aren’t paid for. No diagnosis, no money. All of this is very hard for all of us to bear, and we’re slowly running out of steam. If any of us were to develop depression or something else on top of this, I really don’t know what we’d do.

My little one is quite distressed mentally. He gets panic attacks when his big brother has a seizure. He keeps asking me whether a seizure can end very badly. He is extremely worried about his brother! And I am worried about my son too.

I haven’t had time to keep my own doctor’s appointments, so I’m pretty worn out myself now. I’ve already paid the price – I recently had no choice but to have an operation.

Because of my son’s many doctor’s appointments, my job is on the line (too many absences). I lost my previous job for the same reason. But because of his epilepsy, my eldest isn’t allowed to get a driving licence, so I have to drive him to his appointments. His father doesn’t care at all and never has.

I see a chance for us in moving into a house of our own. A house with fewer potential hazards. We currently live in an old house – lots of walls, steep stairs, sharp tile edges, and so on. If I lose my job, I won’t be able to afford the rent as the sole breadwinner.

Moving would also mean my younger son would finally get his own room. He desperately needs a place where he feels comfortable and safe, so that he doesn’t break down under the weight of what he’s been through.

Please help us with a small donation.

I would love to use the money to buy good health! As that isn’t possible, I’m pursuing the dream of a home of our own for my boys and me. I hope this will also bring a little more health for the three of us!!!

I might even have a summer kitchen – because of my health issues, I mix my own tinctures, creams and teas from medicinal herbs.

And I might even have a sewing room. Sewing helps me relax, and perhaps I could even do it as a part-time job.

Please do donate, but not out of pity, rather because you can and want to!

Even a small donation helps.