I Fell Down a Hatch!

Hello WORLD! 

SHORT STORY: On the first day of my new bartending job, I fell ten feet down an open hatch behind the bar, broke my shoulder, and badly bruised/cut most every limb on my body. I have been ordered to refrain from work for three weeks by doctors and need help to cover costs of living/any unforeseen medical expenses while I am unable to work. 

Long story: I am an actress, writer, and comedian in New York City. I work hard to make people laugh and do the best I can to always be working towards my goal of super-stardom. But everyone has to have a survival job in between auditions, shoots, and writing generally questionable sketch comedy, right? Yes! I think? I do!

Bartending is mine. I'm pretty good at it! I've been working around 4-5 days a week in a bar for the last five years or so, and enjoy it as a means of income when I'm not being asked to co-star in the new Meryl Streep movie or thrown big piles of money from commercial work (these things do not happen). 

I had an intense summer that included moving three times in the course of a few months and badly needed to supplement the cost of the moves and generally have more money in my pocket to help with my endeavors. I decided I needed to bite the bullet and find a second job. I found one very quickly and it was a dream! Only being a short fifteen-minute walk from my apartment, I was going to be able to juggle this job, my other bartending job, my auditions during the day, and creating comedy  on the nights I am off with absolute ease (and maybe the occasional panic attack). 

Then, as explained above,  I badly injured myself on the first day working my new job by falling down a hatch that was unknowingly opened behind the bar. I am lucky to be alive. Things could have been much worse. 

This Go Fund Me is an attempt to raise money to help me while I am unable to work. Doctors have informed me I must be in a sling for at least three weeks, and will require physical therapy and I have badly torn the muscles around the break in my shoulder. Workers Comp will be covering the majority of my medical bills (I am uninsured, but my employers have been incredibly helpful in this regard). I may still have to pay for some medical expenses out of pocket. Workers Comp is not able to cover my lost wages, seeing as this was my first day on the job and there is no possible way to gauge what my average income/schedule would be going forward. 

I am frightened I may never be able to use my shoulder in the same way for the rest of my life, but I am more frightened of having to sacrifice continuing to persue my goals in comedy and acting because I cannot afford the insanely high cost of living in this city while physically unable to work. I can't put a shirt on without being in severe pain, let alone shake a cocktail. I have never been a fan of asking for money - let alone from strangers! Alas, drastic times call for drastic measures and so on and so forth and I must put my pride aside. 

Thanks, everyone. I love you all and feel very happy and chill to be alive.

I FELL DOWN A HATCH.