Hi mamas,

This is something I never imagined needing to write, but life shifted very quickly and unexpectedly.

I recently went through a divorce and made the decision to start over completely. I left everything behind and began rebuilding from scratch so I could intentionally shape the next chapter of my life for myself and my son. As part of the divorce, I negotiated a QDRO payment, but it’s taking longer than anticipated to be released.

In the middle of all of this, on Thursday, December 18, I found myself in the emergency room with what I can only describe as some of the most intense stomach pain I’ve ever experienced. What I thought was just pain quickly turned into emergency surgery (12/18).

They discovered two separate issues, I had a hole in my stomach, and I also had an ulcer that had ruptured, which is why the situation escalated so quickly. Because they needed to fully explore what was going on, they performed an exploratory abdominal surgery. During that procedure, they repaired the damage and were also able to remove my gallbladder.

Because of the exploration and repairs, I now have a fairly large incision across my stomach, and I’m looking at 6–8 weeks of healing and recovery. During that time, I’m unable to work and need to focus on letting my body heal.

If you know me, you know I’m terrible at slowing down and even worse at asking for help, so this recovery is clearly the universe forcing a hard pause.

I’m also not originally from here and don’t have a lot of family nearby. I’m incredibly grateful for the few people I do have in my life, especially during the holiday season, a time that’s already busy and emotionally heavy for everyone.

Right now, I’m struggling to cover basic living expenses like rent, utilities, groceries, and medical costs during this recovery period. I’m doing everything I can, but the combination of starting over, delayed settlement funds, and an unexpected medical crisis has made this moment especially difficult.

This fundraiser is meant to help bridge the gap while I heal and get back on my feet.

Funds will be used for:

• Rent and utilities

• Groceries and basic household expenses

• Medical bills, prescriptions, and follow up care

• Gas and transportation while recovering

• Occasional in person help during recovery, including childcare and basic support

Thank you for reading, for caring, and for being part of my support system during a time I truly didn’t see coming.

Any support at all, whether it’s donating, sharing, or just checking in, truly means more to me than I can say. It gives me room to breathe and focus on healing so I can get back to being the mom and person I want to be.