Hi, my name is Andi, and I’m a baker and full-time accounting student based in Hot Springs, Arkansas. I’m reaching out for mutual aid after a sudden medical crisis completely changed my life.

A few weeks ago, I went hiking with friends and overextended my right leg on the way down the trail. At first, I thought I had simply pulled a muscle. But the pain became unbearable, and I went to a walk-in clinic seeking help. Despite my insistence that something was seriously wrong, I was denied an x-ray and told it was probably sciatica.

I continued walking on the leg for less than a week before collapsing in Texarkana. At the emergency room there, I again struggled to be taken seriously until a doctor finally ordered an x-ray. That x-ray revealed that my femur had broken.

I was heavily sedated and transported to UAMS in Little Rock, where I underwent surgery and spent over a week hospitalized before being transferred to a rehab facility for physical therapy. I am finally back home, but recovery is ongoing. I currently have extremely limited mobility, continue to receive in-home physical therapy visits, and face daily challenges due to the stairs in my apartment.

What makes this even more frightening is that there was no major accident or trauma that should have caused a femur break. My healthcare team is still searching for answers, and I am undergoing additional testing, including bone density scans.

Because of this injury, I am unable to work my normal job right now. I’ve been applying for remote work while continuing my accounting degree online through Western Governors University, but the loss of income has already caused my internet service to be disconnected, and my phone may soon follow. Without those, I cannot continue classes or apply for jobs.

I’m asking for help covering rent, utilities, groceries, transportation to appointments, and basic living expenses while I recover and regain stability. Any donation, share, or kind word means more than I can express.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my story and support me during one of the hardest moments of my life.