Help Chris get to a new place.

Asking for help is tough. Life has forced us to learn how in the past two years.

In May of 2021, I developed a spinal condition called Cervical Spondylitis, which is very common and often benign. The bones in the spine grow inward over time and press on the spinal canal. Quite rarely for this condition, in my case, the pressure became acute at the most critical neural pathways in the neck.

This created general weakness, trouble walking, and intermittent total paralysis (and a good amount of fevered debate at the Neuro ICU.)

I had surgery (quadruple cervical laminoplasty) in October. The prognosis was for a near-full recovery after 3 months. However, just as the speed and severity of the initial onset were clinically unusual, the recovery went similarly off-course.

The surgery restored some things like balance, but some of the nerve tissue within the spinal canal was permanently destroyed. The result is called Transverse Spondalytic Myelitis - a pervasive weakness, numbness, and pain throughout the muscles.

I can still do most of the things I used to do - walk (with a cane), work, ride a motorbike - just in much briefer intervals. I'm recently getting back to the prospect of working regularly (part time.)

But we're losing our place: The apartment we've been staying in for my recovery has been sold by the landlord (a family friend who was renting it to us cheap). So we've got to vamoose by month's end.

Our first destination is Lex's hometown in the Cleveland area.

And our finances got wiped out by recent events. Even our car died a year ago. (Lex was so occupied at home caring for me during the pandemic that she barely used it at all.)

Happily, I came across a post from an old friend. Selling a camper. Talked to him - he was very, very generous on price.

So, we're raising money to embark on a digital nomad journey to the midwest. We will still be as online and available as ever. Lex's freelance work doing writing and editing continues to gain steam (our primary income now). And during my recovery, I have been working on a scientific paper, which is now undergoing editorial review. The path forward to paid remote work in astrophysics appears clear now.

The camper will provide everything we need right now to get back on our feet. The camper will serve as a car, office, home, and portable recovery room. (I never know when I suddenly need to lie down or sleep an hour or two. Like a turtle, carrying your house with you has advantages.)

Lex and I did the math for what we need to purchase the camper and get set up in Cleveland, OH, resume life, work, and recovery. We're trying to raise $4.5K: $2K for the camper and 2.5K to get started with living expenses. As my health recovers and our income picks up, we expect to move into an apartment - but not before we explore the great American midwest, which I have never seen.

What began as a crisis - suddenly losing our place - is shaping up to be a most welcome adventure, if we can raise the funds.

I don't expect to ever need to pass the hat around again. You all know me to be a proud person, probably too proud, too often. It's hard for me to ask.

But I guess the greater shame would be not to ask, when I must.