My journey has been anything but easy. In 2020, while homeless in Kansas and living in a tent, I developed severe frostbite on my foot and toes. Because of neuropathy, I couldn’t feel the damage until it was too late. I fought to save my foot for 18 months, and when I finally secured a studio apartment in Illinois, I thought my struggles were over. But within a week, I had to have my big toe amputated. The hospital wanted me to stay for six weeks on IV antibiotics, but I couldn’t risk losing my SSI benefits or leave my emotional support animal alone for that long. Instead, I was sent home with only a few days of oral antibiotics, which wasn’t enough. Over the next few years, I endured more amputations and setbacks, until a friend helped me move to Oregon in hopes of saving my foot. Unfortunately, I had to have it amputated below the knee, and after more complications, it was eventually taken above the knee to stop the infection. Thankfully, with the right medication, my leg is finally healing better than ever before. Now, I have to wear a shrinker for six months before I can be fitted for a prosthetic, but medical won’t cover the cost of the right one.

On top of all this, I’m homeless again in Oregon. The only person I knew here has moved away, and I’m staying in a shelter for a few months while I try to find affordable housing. It’s expensive, and I’m struggling to figure out my next steps. I need physical therapy to build my core strength so I can learn to walk again, and I need help with daily living expenses as I recover and search for a place to call home.

A kind stranger saw me struggling to cross a busy intersection and suggested I start this GoFundMe. Any support, advice, or encouragement—especially from others who have been through similar challenges—would mean the world to me. I’m grateful for anything you can offer as I work to regain my independence and rebuild my life.