Help Kelly Heal: Surgery and Recovery Fund

We have created this GoFundMe to help our friend Kelly as they prepare for two substantial surgical procedures next week, and the recovery that comes with that and a recent bacterial infection and illness that left them on bedrest for much of July. This includes up to two months out of work, out of pocket medical costs, post-op specialists, and the general expenses that come with recovering from a substantial operation.

If you have met Kelly, you know that they are a vibrant, loving person who cares deeply for the people around them in so many ways. You may know them for their poetry, their home-cooking, their music, their incredibly strong meme game, their love of a good time. You also probably know that they are not one to ask for help. For that reason, as their friends and community, we are asking on their behalf.

Here are some words from Kelly further describing their situation. Thank you for supporting!

"I am no stranger to operations and lows and immunological blunders — I have fibromyalgia, PCOS, endometriosis and mast cell disorder. In recent years I lived a fairly strict and isolated life after experiencing a severe flare up of symptoms regarding MCAS but had been proud to see them into remission.

After taking multiple L’s, lots of new stressors in the last two years— I thought my fatigue last fall was a culmination of lifestyle and navigating gig economy but began to experience hair loss, fatigue, fainting, pain induced insomnia and huge shifts in my mood.

After a long battle with getting diagnosed— primarily with fibroids and endometriosis I am scheduled for a myomectomy — removal of fibroids and endometriosis surgery on August 13th. It’s been a long road including severe and dangerous anemia that resulted in fainting last winter.

Although the fibroid tumors are benign (thankfully,) they still cause significant pain and health related issues on a daily basis and it’s impacted my life.

Recently I have fallen ill with a compound viral and bacterial infection that led to high fevers and an inability to work and as I am a little under two weeks out from the date I am forced to scale down on my work to hopefully heal and be cleared for my surgery date which I’ve awaited for over 3 months."