Help a Nurse Heal: Support Lesley’s Recovery

Hi, my name is Lesley, and I’ve been a Registered Nurse for 26 years — caring for others is not just my job, it’s who I am. But now, for the first time in my career, I find myself in the unfamiliar position of needing help.

Recently, I had surgery and was in the process of recovering when I developed severe right-sided flank pain. I ended up in the Emergency Department, where I was diagnosed with a large kidney stone. This led to a hospital admission for several days.

I recently had lithotripsy and a stent placement to break up and relieve the obstruction. I still have to go to the OR one more time to have the stent removed.

After my second procedure, I experienced an adverse reaction to one of the antibiotics I was prescribed. It caused significant muscle and joint pain, leaving me barely able to walk and delaying my recovery even further.

As anyone in healthcare knows, time off is precious and limited. Unfortunately, I’ve exhausted all of my paid leave during this recovery process and am not currently receiving any income. The medical bills are piling up, and the stress of how to stay afloat financially is weighing heavily on me during a time I should be focused on healing.

If you’re able to donate — no matter the amount — your support would go directly toward medical expenses, basic living needs, and helping me get back on my feet (and back to the work I love). And if you can’t donate, sharing this with others would mean the world to me.

Thank you for reading, for caring, and for standing beside someone who’s spent a lifetime standing beside others.

With deep gratitude,

Lesley