Help Jacquie recover: Heart attack & car accident

I never thought that in only a second, everything could be taken away from me. My health, my job, and my stand-up comedy dreams, all because of a drunk driver. As a young woman, I’m supposed to be in the prime of my life, not suffering from debilitating physical injuries and severe heart problems.

Throughout my life, I've been accustomed to taking on adversities as they present themselves, but this experience has created a new level of challenge that I never thought I'd have to contend with. I've tried carrying the weight of this accident and heart attack alone but I can't do it anymore. I tried to keep it to myself because I was too embarrassed to ask for help, afraid to sound like a charity case, and didn't want to burden anyone with my problems.

I've come to realize that I need help, and I can't do this alone. It’s taken lots of encouragement from friends and months to get the courage to post this.

November 4th, 2021, I was rear-ended by an uninsured drunk driver. I was in my car, sitting completely still, and the drunk driver hit me going approximately 60 mph. My car was totaled and I had to go to the emergency room for my injuries. I was in excruciating pain. My back and neck were sprained, many ligaments and muscles were torn, and I had a concussion. MRIs would show that I have 7 ribs out, spinal injuries, spinal stenosis, as well as multiple herniated and bulging discs in my neck and back, some of which are pushing into my spinal cord. I also experience constant pain, burning, tingling, and numbness in all of my extremities, as well as part of my back goes numb from time to time. I was bedridden for several months and was unable to do most things without help. I lost my day job as a nanny and my health insurance.

The drunk driver wasn't responsive and it was months before my lawyer and I found that not only was she uninsured, she lives with her parents and has no income or assets. I was devastated to find that there is no legal recourse, even though she was 100% at fault and was arrested for a DUI at the scene of the accident. I had uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage through my car insurance but it was only $15,000, which was easily eaten up by hospital bills and lawyer fees. I was told by doctors that I'd need 6 months of physical therapy, three times a week, in addition to many other rehabilitation treatments, but I could not afford it and my state health insurance does not cover it.

I hoped that with rest and stretching at home, I could heal enough to go back to work. I was wrong. My bulging and herniated discs, canal stenosis, nerve damage, and pain have gotten worse. In addition to the constant pain, my back is still in a state of trauma and seizes up from things as simple as sneezing or sleeping on my pillow wrong, causing extreme pain and limited movement, immobilizing me for days. I take an anti-inflammatory and muscle relaxer when I can't bear the pain but it only does so much. Because of this, I have been told that my back and neck are not in a place to return to work as a nanny, as I could potentially damage both even further. I’ve also been warned that if I don't receive treatment, I may have to have neck and back surgery in the future.

This past year, I was forced to live off my savings and the $10k I got from the original GoFundMe that was created before we knew the full extent of my injuries and that the drunk driver was uninsured. I am beyond grateful for that original GoFundMe and was very hopeful it would be enough to carry me until I healed enough to work. I feel sick to my stomach to have to ask for more help. It has now been a little over a year and while I have lived frugally, living and medical expenses have completely wiped out my savings, and I am now living off the money my car insurance gave me to replace my car. If I continue to do so, I will not have any funds left to replace my car. I don't have parents in my life, and I don't have family that is able to help me financially or house me. I have had to remain at my apartment in Los Angeles.

The past years' stress culminated on August 31st, 2022 in the form of a heart attack. I was admitted to the hospital, stabilized, and have since been undergoing tests. While I was fortunate to survive, I now have an irregular heartbeat, chest pain, and uncertainty around what happened. Doctors are trying to figure out what caused the heart attack as I am young, a non-smoker, at a healthy weight, and have never used hard drugs. I never thought I’d have to endure something like this at such a young age. Also, not knowing what sort of treatment might lie ahead for my heart is unnerving. The doctors did insist that I get treatment for my car accident injuries and manage stress as much as possible. Having a near death experience has pushed me to finally make the ask to get treatment.

Living with chronic pain has taken me to the deepest depths of depression. The stress around wondering if I'll ever heal, not being able to pursue stand-up comedy, and watching my savings slip away has been crippling. Covid forced everyone into isolation and shortly after things reopened, the accident forced me back into isolation. I desperately want to return to pursuing stand-up comedy but standing for lengths of time and driving to and from shows right now is too painful.

If you are able, I ask that you please consider donating to my GoFundMe so I can finally receive treatment for my injuries and have some semblance of hope again. The amount I am asking for will cover my medical expenses, living expenses, physical therapy, rehabilitation, and therapy for approximately 6 months. Asking for financial help, especially this amount, was really hard to do. Writing this involved lots of crying, lots of guilt, and lots of breaks.

The thought of being able to have the time, space, and financial support to focus on nothing but my healing brings me to tears. Not having to live a life burdened by chronic pain would be the ultimate blessing. I want to believe I can get my life back. I want to believe I don’t have to give up on my dreams of a career as a stand-up comedian. I want to believe I can heal from this and enjoy life again. Hopefully someday this can be in my rear view mirror and I’ve got enough distance from it to make jokes about it. I know that treatment could transform my life and words can’t describe the gratitude I have for any help you can offer. Thank you for taking the time to read my story. I appreciate you all so much.