Hey there, folks. I’m Melissa: a burnout xennial former vet tech with cptsd. I started working with animals in 1997. A few years ago, I had to leave work due to illness/complications related to my then undiagnosed ehlers danlos syndrome and lipedema. Doctors have been gaslighting, ignoring, and dismissing me for decades. Even after losing 160lbs on my own, they still blame me for my problems. It took folks on tiktok to actually help me get diagnosed.

My husband works 7 days a week and has for years. Even with my daily symptoms flaring up randomly and unexpectedly (nausea, fatigue, vomiting, pain, etc), I still have to maintain the house, care for pets, cook, clean...We managed to scrape by for a while, but now we are in dire straits.

We are behind on our mortgage and other bills, our gas has been turned off, credit cards are maxed out, and are close to losing our electricity and phone, too. I am absolutely drowning. I have a tshirt shop and plans to sell art but I need urgent help staying afloat.

Help me keep myself and my future dreams alive - someday open a diner with a scratch kitchen and community garden to help feed people the world keeps throwing away. Any and all help is appreciated. Thank you genuinely from me and the family.