Help My Daughter Carina Recover After Emergency Surgery

Update: Carina had her surgery today and did well. She will be staying at least one night in the hospital and we are hoping she will be able to come home tomorrow. Thank you so much to everyone for coming together to help her! ❤️

Hi, my name is Lisa, and I’m reaching out on behalf of my daughter, Carina, who is facing an urgent medical crisis.

After a year of suffering with severe, life-altering back pain, Carina recently received results from an MRI that showed she needs emergency spinal surgery this Friday. The damage is significant, and without this surgery, she risks further nerve damage and long-term disability. As a mother, it’s heartbreaking to watch your child in pain, and even more so to see her worry about how she’ll support herself and her daughter during recovery.

Earlier this year, Carina was laid off from her full-time job at Zotter Chocolates. To stay afloat, she picked up full-time hours at her second job as a float pool CNA, which, as we all know, is one of the most physically demanding roles in health care. She’s worked so hard to care for others and is due to start in late August at the local trauma hospital ER as an RN, but now she can no longer walk without debilitating pain, let alone continue working. Her bosses have informed her that she will require a note from her doctor releasing her for full duty before she can be scheduled again. Her doctors have told her she’ll be out of work for around six weeks or so to heal properly. This will include no bending or twisting at the waist and no lifting more than 10 pounds, which isn’t physically possible when she lifts 100+ pound patients multiple times a shift.

During this time, Carina will have no income to help cover medical bills, rent, utilities, or basic needs for herself and her daughter. And with her little girl, Priscilla’s, birthday right around the corner, she’s heartbroken at the thought of not being able to give her the celebration she deserves.

I’m asking for your help so Carina can focus on healing without the overwhelming stress of finances weighing her down. Any amount you can give, no matter how small, will go directly to helping her stay on her feet and care for her daughter during this incredibly difficult time. I know it’s hard out there for everyone these days and it truly takes a village!

Thank you so much for your kindness, support, positive vibes, and prayers. It means more than we can ever express!

With great gratitude,

Lisa (Carina’s mom)