Help Krystal Heal Her Heart (literally)

Hi, I’m Krystal, aka Yo It’s Cake. I'm a disabled artist, market organizer, mother of three, and part of an army family doing our best without a safety net. Right now, I’m writing this from a hospital bed after being admitted for chest pain and fatigue that turned out to be something far more serious than anyone expected.

After weeks of being dismissed and told it was “just anxiety,” I now know I have severe coronary artery disease—specifically, a 70–99% blockage in one of my heart’s most critical arteries. My troponin levels were dangerously high, and I’m undergoing full cardiac monitoring, new medications, and more testing to determine if I’ll need a stent or other procedure.

I’m scared, exhausted, and also trying to hold it together for my kids and my husband, who’s doing everything he can while juggling his own military responsibilities. We don’t have family nearby. We weren’t prepared for this.

As the primary caregiver for my family, this sudden health crisis means I’m missing markets I depend on, canceling kiln firings, and pushing back projects just to rest. And resting isn’t free. I’ve set up this fundraiser to help cover:

Lost income from canceled markets and workshops

Recovery time I can’t afford to take

Unexpected medical and caregiving costs

Basic needs for my family while I heal.

I’ve spent the last few years building community spaces centered on accessibility, care, and mutual aid. Now I’m the one who needs care, and asking for that is hard. But I know the kind of love and solidarity that exists in my community, and I’m trusting that now is my time to receive some of it.

If you can give, share, or simply hold me and my family in your thoughts, I’m grateful for it all. This is the beginning of a long road, and I want to walk it with my whole heart intact.

Thank you,

Krystal