Hi! We're Paul and Carri of Paraphilia. In 2019 we were working toward expanding both our offerings and our market area. Then 2024 happened and all of our in person vending events, which made up more than 80% of our income, vanished over night. We did okay at first, but the past 3 years have been a struggle to recover from. On top of losing our main way of connecting with customers, a lifelong struggle with chronic pain got exponentially worse for Paul in 2024. This led to a diagnosis of a very rare medical condition, generalized radiculomegaly, that leaves Paul in constant jaw, muscle and nerve pain. Generalized radiculomegaly is a condition where the roots of all of the teeth are abnormally long. In Paul's case, they are so long that they are tangled up in the nerves of his jaw and putting pressure on his sinuses. While the source of the pain is in his jaw and face it radiates into his neck, shoulders and arms. On bad days it can stop Paul from working and on good days it takes several hours to get to a place where work is possible. We are currently working with 3 specialists, and seeking out others to manage his condition. However, the combination of chronic pain, social anxiety, isolation, and 3 years of lost in-person sales has left our business floundering. Not to mention we have a 2 year old added to the mix (who is wonderful, but anyone who has a toddler knows it's not exactly easy). Because of the industry that Paraphilia is in, we have never been able to get funding through traditional means (loans, grants, etc), so we are here asking for help. We greatly appreciate any help toward keeping us in our shop and moving toward recovery. Thanks so much! Paul and Carri of Paraphilia
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