I am creating this campaign in hopes of helping my daughter. For someone her age, she has had more than her fair share of medical woes, especially in the last four years. She’s not one to ask for help a lot, but at the same time she has been struggling quietly for quite some time. Here is a little bit of her story from her perspective. If you can donate anything, we would greatly appreciate it more than you know! – Rhonda
If you knew me, you know I’m not one to ask for help easily. But after four relentless years of medical emergencies, surgeries, and staggering bills, I’m at a point where I can’t get through this alone.
I’m a young professional who has always worked hard, tried to stay optimistic, and done my best to manage chronic health issues quietly. But over the last four years, my body has been through more than I ever imagined it could take—and the financial toll has followed me every step of the way.
2022 – The Year Everything Changed
It started with what I thought was a routine infection. I went to urgent care expecting antibiotics. Instead, I was rushed to the hospital with sepsis and a kidney stone that required emergency surgery. I spent five days fighting to stabilize my body, only to return two weeks later for another surgery to remove the stent. That was the first year I hit my insurance out-of-pocket max—and the start of a painful pattern.
2023 – Emergency Surgery, Again
Not long after, I began experiencing unbearable pain in my side and back—far worse than any kidney stone. It would come in waves and leave me breathless. Eventually, I landed back in the hospital, this time for emergency gallbladder removal. Another hospital stay. Another year of medical bills that wiped out any chance to get ahead.
2024 – A Scary New Chapter
Then came the heart issues. My pulse would spike into the 170s doing simple things—walking through Costco, standing up too quickly. The episodes were frightening and exhausting. Test after test followed, and once again, I met my out-of-pocket max.
2025 – The Hardest Surgery Yet
This year brought the biggest challenge of all. The nerve pain down my leg returned—sharp, constant, debilitating. I couldn’t stand up straight, couldn’t sleep, couldn’t function. After months of trying to manage it, I was finally diagnosed with another herniated disc. This time, I needed a spinal fusion.
I had the surgery at the end of March. I’m slowly returning to work, but recovery will take at least a year, and I still have a long road ahead with physical therapy and healing. I’m doing everything I can to stay afloat, but the medical debt has piled up from four straight years of crisis.
Why I’m Asking for Help
I’ve met my insurance out-of-pocket maximum every year for four years. I’ve emptied savings, used credit cards more than I should or am comfortable with, and still can’t dig my way out. I don’t want to fall behind on bills while I’m trying to heal. I want to feel steady again. Secure. And someday, I want to be in a place where I can help someone else the way I’m asking for help now.
If you’ve ever struggled through health issues, or know someone who has, you know how quickly things can unravel—physically, emotionally, financially. Your support, no matter how small, will go directly toward medical bills, recovery costs, and rebuilding a life that’s been paused for too long.
Thank you for reading. Thank you for caring. And thank you, from the bottom of my healing heart, for any support you can give.
