(Latest update below)

Hello nice people,

I never imagined I would be writing something like this.

I’m Viki, Turkish woman who has been living in Lisbon for the past 3.5 years. I moved here because I needed a new life—after watching the economy and everything in Türkiye collapse and realizing I could no longer build a future there. I came with hope, courage, and the belief that if I worked hard, things would eventually be okay.

I m 37 yo and I left my family in my hometown and somehow average career in İstanbul, if I knew these all would going to be happen I never would left my home.

Right now, they aren’t.

I’m writing this with a stitched finger, using a friend’s tablet, because my PC suddenly stopped working in the middle of everything. It might sound small, but when you’re already struggling, even small things feel overwhelming.

I’m listing this fundraiser as an emergency category, not only because of medical expenses, but because my life has felt like it’s been unraveling all at once.

Short story of Long what happened in the end: I found a job and moved to Portugal. Two years later, the project I worked on was shut down. I stayed in the same company, earned a permanent contract, and worked another 1.5 years under a different project—quietly enduring a emotionally but very silently abusive work environment. I stayed silent, because I needed stability on that under project. In the end I finally complained about the person and they got laid off finally.

In August 2025, I was transferred to another project. It quickly became clear that I was considered disposable—a “spare head” for the Turkish market. I was removed from the project with explanations that didn’t make sense. They accused me with things that I even had no chance to fix just because company gave me trouble related everything. And their explanations were basically just insignificant with my presence and I can not even have concrete proof to sue them. Since November, the company has left me in “pending allocation,” meaning I have no real work and no real future there.

Around that time, my body started to give up.

After months of intense stress, because of management, because of the issues they gave to me, in the end of October I was diagnosed with gluteal tendinopathy, a condition that causes constant pain and makes even sitting or standing difficult. I didn’t have an accident. I didn’t fall. Doctors believe stress may be the cause.

Since October, my life has revolved around pain and hospitals:

• Physiotherapy three times a week

• One MRI already completed

• Four different doctors, after later ones suspected earlier issues were overlooked

• Now prescribed two more MRIs and three X-rays

I’m thankful that I still have health insurance through my company, but many costs are not fully covered. And since I need to re do some exams and MRI exams not covered by government.

All besides this, the company pushed me to keep working despite my condition even if I did not have a project and still I don’t. I eventually had to take sick leave. I now live on €500 per month from government support, which has only just begun. While groceries in Lisbon are manageable, medical care is not.

Physiotherapy sessions, medical exams, doctor visits, and soon swimming therapy will all adding up. At the same time, my PC broke, forcing me to buy the cheapest motherboard possible just to stay functional.

In the end after exams doctor can tell that I might need a surgery.

I really want to say that live very simply. I don’t spend money on beauty treatments, new clothes, or luxuries. I’ve always taken pride in being independent. I’ve never asked anyone for money in my life—and admitting that I need help now is incredibly hard.

But the truth is, I’m exhausted.

I usually go to hospitals alone. One day, I finally asked a friend to come with me because I felt completely overwhelmed and needed someone next to me and actualy physically travel far is almost impossible. Asking for help doesn’t come naturally to me, but healing alone is even harder. Also there is another friend being with me these days which is very supportive and taking me out from my bad momentarily moments which I'm appreciated..

I’m asking for €1,000–€1,500, which would help me a little bit more than to survive the next three months—covering medical exams, physiotherapy, doctor visits, and basic recovery needs. This support would give me a small moment to breathe while I focus on healing and rebuilding my life.

I’ve attached:

• Doctor notes (in Portuguese—you can translate them via Google Lens)

• Proof of the low-cost motherboard purchase

These documents don't show proof, I can find all of the sessions invoice from my email and also doctors invoices, but till new year I wont get my PC done, the piece is on the way. That's why I selected emergency category in order to cover some general expenses with medical.

While on sick leave, I’m also trying to build something small for myself. It is definitely not a commercial to my sites, but just to share that I'm trying, I’m working on my website and selling Christmas-themed T-shirts and a New Year calendar. We print the T-shirts ourselves. If shipping to your country isn’t available, please reach out—I’ll try to add it.

https://queen-rookie.myshopify.com/

I'm also doing hobby photographery just to show you something about me..

https://vikiyabroad.picfair.com/

If you can’t donate, even sharing this page means more than you know.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. Thank you for your kindness, your support, and for reminding me that I’m not completely alone.

With gratitude,

Viki

UPDATE 13.01.2026

I have just realized that this is what sick leave money means in Portugal.

I'm in a dire situation right now while waiting to MRs to be done which I will pay at least 100 eur because government can not serve fast service at all.

And, besides all of this, I can not even work freelance remote work, because all of the companies want to do a contract and if I make a contract I will lose my sick leave. Plus, the company I'm in is insisting not to give me a remote job. That's the reason I keep take sick leave and doing my physio sessions.

I would appreciate any kind of help this 2 months.. Thank you.

UPDATE 06.02.2026

One of the spine doctor decided to give me "betametasona" to fix my issues however as I see from documents and comments from doctor that I have 4 issues

1- Hernia L4-L5

2-Spinal stenosis

3-A rupture near my pelvis bone on tendons

4-Femoral bones frictions

So far I did not get any treatments plan and I'm waiting for to cortisone shot works.