The Story

The day before my 33rd birthday, I learned you can become almost entirely blind in one eye and not know it. It just feels like light sensitivity — like something’s in your eye and you just need to splash some water on your face and move on.

You tell yourself you just need rest, but then you cover your good eye and you start to panic a little. You learned young that having autoimmune type 1 diabetes means you can't be too careful with your eyes.

So you call the emergency line just in case...and find out you're wrong. Rest won't fix this.

The week after my birthday, I learned there was a massive bleed in the back of my left eye and it wasn’t just “temporary.” Once the blood settled, I’d start noticing the blindness more — because ironically, I’d start seeing it.

Now, a few weeks later, I’ve learned that the gel inside my eye is slipping forward. It’s tugging at the delicate tissue attached to my retina. That tugging is causing traction that could tear or detach my retina at any moment. If that happens, there's a strong possibility of permanent damage to my vision.

To prevent that, I need vitrectomy surgery — urgently.

The Struggle

The vitrectomy surgery I need will cost $970.00 up front; on top of the ongoing and already due medical bills I have.

For six years, I’ve been receiving injections that have kept my retinopathy and macular edema under control. They’ve helped me keep my sight so far — but they’ve come with out-of-pocket costs I’ve been managing through a payment plan, credit cards, etc.

I’ve done everything I can to offset the medical costs — working two jobs, doing delivery gigs, picking up babysitting shifts, managing payment plans. But to be hit with such urgent and high cost medical needs that must be paid so I can keep my vision, and return to work, is humbling. This is hard; I’m realizing I can’t do it alone, especially with the reduction in pay that will come while on disability leave.

In addition to surgery costs, I’ll have 3–6 weeks of recovery where I won’t be able to work, depending on how much retinal damage my surgeon finds when he does my surgery.

In the past 2 months alone, I’ve spent over $300 at the eye clinic, $60 at primary care, and I still owe multiple medical bills, including:

Why This Matters So Much

If you know me, you know that words are everything to me.

Lyrics. Poetry. Novels. Language itself.

Books have carried me through my hardest moments — through illness, loss, and exhaustion. They’ve given me places to go when my body felt like a prison of weakness and frustration. The idea of losing my ability to read, to write, to see words — the thing that’s kept me alive when life itself felt impossible — terrifies me.

I’m scared. I’m scared of surgery, of losing my sight, of falling behind financially, of having to take time off work for recovery.

But I’m trying to focus on hope. And now, I’m asking for help.

How You Can Help

Any amount helps — truly.

Funds will go directly toward:

Vitrectomy surgery and related hospital costs

Follow-up appointments and retinal injections

Medical bills already in collections or payment plans

Recovery supplies and medication

Rent and basic expenses during recovery leave

If you’d prefer to help another way:

If you’ve ever shared a conversation, a laugh, a meal, music lyrics, or a story with me, thank you. You’ve already been part of what makes my life beautiful.

I just want to keep being able to see it; any help and support is appreciated

– Brook