Carolina Arruda, of Bambui, who is a veterinary student, was diagnosed with bilateral trigeminal neuralgia 11 years ago. She experienced her first painful episode at the age of 16. The condition, which impacts the trigeminal nerve, causes extreme pain equivalent to being shocked in the face with 220 volts.
Arruda has undergone four operations, changed her diet, started exercising, and tried alternative treatments. Despite the efforts, she said nothing has helped her and therefore wants to die. She has attempted suicide on two separate occasions.
"Imagine a pain that makes it impossible to speak, smile, eat. It's the simplest things that this pain limits and incapacitates me in a way that I can't describe," she told CNN Brasil. "There are times when all I can do is lie down and curl up in a corner and wait for this pain to go away, but it never really goes away. I live with this pain 24 hours a day."
Arruda is in the process of obtaining the help of a Swiss charity, as she is of the opinion that she has exhausted all available options from her medical team. Switzerland is one of nine countries in the world that allow euthanasia.
To finance the medical and travel expenses that exceed $27,000, she initiated a fundraiser on the Brazilian crowdfunding platform, Vakinha.
"Even with the support of my family, and all the possibilities for a happy life, the constant pain turned my life into a real torment," said Arruda. "Every day, I tried to find meaning, to find hope, but the pain was always there, without stopping. It's not a lack of love for life or for the people around me, it's simply a cry for compassion, for a dignified end, you know?"
