Hello and Happy New Year.

I’m making an appeal for someone I know very well but never dreamed I'd build a campaign for. That would be me — and trust me I’m more surprised than you are.

Here’s what brought me here…

From our home in Colorado, I've been living in San Miguel de Allende with my son Kevin for six years. Kevin is bedridden with chronic late stage Lyme disease and long COVID, both treated in Mexico with more diversity and lower costs. I’ve been his caregiver for 14 years.

For the past two years I've been doing intense physical therapy for spinal stenosis, which reached a point in mid December when extreme pain and sudden immobility forced me into an urgent surgery at MAC hospital in Queretaro (70 miles from San Miguel). I'm happy to say I landed with an excellent surgeon who performed decompression surgery on a severe injury to my lumbar spine.

I'm in slow recovery and gratefully on track---except for the blow this adventure has inflicted on our finances. Between all the the pre-op testing, PT and consults, to the surgery, ongoing PT and a train of Ubers to Querétaro, we are now squarely in the quintessential hole.

Since Medicare is not accessible to me here, every medical fee has been and continues to be paid out of pocket. A few angels gifted me small loans to bring in extra care for Kevin and book my surgery fast. I want to repay them fast, even as Kevin's medical costs are now coupled with new ones of my own --a total of $25,000 so far.

As fortunate as I've been to keep two people housed, fed and treated for chronic illness by myself for a very long time, I honestly don't know how I will meet this year's budget. We live on social security and very modest, earmarked savings -- all with a daily blend of discretion and faith. To keep both forces running I need your support.

I ask of course that you give from your hearts; but also from the human knowing that we are all subject to sudden free fall at any time. Our rescue teams are us--friends, neighbors, our communities and beyond. We offer deep gratitude for your donations, notes and shares — plus all the very best in 2026. May you and your loved ones be well and happy.