Hi, I’m Amy. And I never thought I’d be writing one of these.

I was raised to figure it out, or work harder. Duct tape the problem until payday. But now my 105-year-old house has turned into a wildlife Airbnb, and exterminators want $17,500 to evict the rats and chipmunks currently throwing afternoon music festivals in the attic. Every last piece of insulation up there (and in the crawlspace) has to be removed and replaced.

After 18 years in television working on shows you've never seen, this is the longest I’ve ever gone without steady work. The post-strike slowdown gutted my industry. What was supposed to be a short break turned into two years of unemployment—right as I got divorced and buried my dog. Sounds like a clichéd country song but it's unfortunately real.

I’ve spent the last year trying to rebuild with a small graphic design business (in the age of AI), and this spring, I finally broke even for three months in a row. If you’ve ever started over, you know those tiny victories mean everything. They’re what keep you moving forward.

But this house won’t stop fighting me.

• The water main broke last winter: $2,200.

• A storm took down a tree: $800.

• I lost my union health insurance for the first time, right after being diagnosed with ADHD at 47. (Wtf?)

• My printer died. My car dashboard is lit up like a Christmas tree.

• And I spent three months this year without a working kitchen sink because I couldn’t afford the $400 faucet and hoses at the time.

Every new repair hits the same bruise: I thought for 17 years that I had a partner. I thought we’d built something stronger than me alone. But now I’m here having to patch holes I didn’t make while new hot flashes attempt to char my spirit. (Perimenopause is hell on earth) I'm trying to stay focused but the chipmunks thumping across the ceiling like it’s Lollapalooza right now are making it impossible.

I don’t want to lose my home. It’s the one place I’ve tried to build something new. Having a creative business for me (and my chaotic brain) means needing a quiet place to work. But I can’t move forward while everything’s quite literally falling apart around me.

So I’m asking for help. I need a lifeline.

If you’ve ever started over… and believe a woman should be able to keep her house standing without rats in the walls—I’d be deeply grateful for your support. Even $5 helps.