<div>Hi, my name is Oshia, and I’m raising funds for my wonderful friend Nicole. She’s an artist, avid reader, and loyal friend who has been busting her butt over the years, running her own Dog Grooming business and starting to officially sell her art.. Over the past year and a half, her health has taken a heartbreaking turn, leaving her working through extreme pain and limited mobility due to the necessity and the overwhelming medical bills. Please consider donating, sharing, or even checking out her artwork on Instagram @MooTurtleMakes to help support her during this difficult time.
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<div>Nicole has always been a hard worker with a huge heart. She’s been going solo, trying to make her dreams come true, building her life around creativity, independence, and care for others. Many know her from her years as a self-employed dog groomer, where she treats every pet like her own. But she’s also an artist, an avid reader, and the kind of friend who will always show up for you with a smile, a kind word, or a perfect book recommendation.
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<div>Unfortunately, her health has taken a devastating turn from being manageable to unbearable. After finally getting a possible diagnosis, she continued to work so she could afford the surgeries she needed, even though working was extremely painful.
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<div>In December 2023, she was hospitalized due to undiagnosed endometriosis, which ended up with her on the floor unable to get up from the pain for over an hour (with assistance from 2 friends trying to help).
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<div>By February 2024, surgery revealed stage 3 endometriosis that was building up over the years on her bowels and spine, predominantly. Her doctor explained she would need surgery every 2-5 years to clear things out again. Within 2 months the pain was back, and in July of 2024 she underwent a hysterectomy to try curb the speed in which the constant flare-ups were occurring.
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<div>But just two weeks later, her spine gave out from years of endometriosis buildup causing prolonged stenosis of the spine. She quickly lost mobility, going from a cane to a walker and finally to a wheelchair for 99% of the time. After months of physical therapy and ending up in the hospital again.
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<div>In November, she underwent major spinal surgery on three discs, but lingering nerve damage left her in continuous pain. She was unable to work for a minimum of 3 months and during that she was hospitalized again for 8 days. 
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<div>Roughly 2 weeks after the spinal surgery she got the gift of COVID and bronchitis, landing her the hospital for 8 days due to a risk of infection, COVID complications and a sudden onset of thrombocytopenia (dangerously low platelets that can lead to bleeding out externally or internally the lower they get).
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<div>She’s been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, interstitial cystitis, severe stenosis of the spine, PMDD, arthritis in the neck, and bilateral carpal tunnel so severe she now needs surgery in both hands.
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<div>On top of this, she suffers from chronic migraines, recurring sinus/ear infections, and unrelenting abdominal and pelvic pain—possibly from the endometriosis returning yet again.
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<div>Every condition she faces is “treatable but not curable,” leaving her with endless medical bills, specialist visits, and ongoing pain. She has fought through all of this with incredible strength, but the truth is she cannot work for much longer with her health in this condition. Her hands are almost always painfully numb and she was once again in the hospital due to extreme pain in her lower back and pelvis. Because she is self-employed, she doesn’t qualify for unemployment, and she the short term disability people had her running through qualifications for roughly a year and a half, while never once mentioning pre-existing conditions aren't covered.
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<div>She is drowning in medical debt and the debts of running a small business, while forcing herself to work because she has no other choice.
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<div>This fundraiser is to help cover her day-to-day needs and medical costs as she continues through more testing, surgeries, and treatments. She is trying to find a way to be able to afford the time off she needs to get these surgeries taken care of and the time to heal from them.
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<div>Any amount you can give makes a real difference in her life. And if you can’t donate, even sharing her story means the world.
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<div>If you’d like to support her in another way, I'm sure she will be forever grateful. As much as Nicole hates asking for help, and as embarrassed as she feels needing it, she’s run out of options. She has fought to stay independent through all of this, but the reality is she cannot keep up with her medical bills, treatments, and living costs alone.
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Anonymous

Leslie Bensen

Joseph Tedesco

Catherine Morrissey

Help Nicole Overcome Medical Challenges

Still $1,415 to go. Help us build momentum.