Hello,

My name is Kellie. My friends call me Mama K. I’ve spent the past decade and a half working as a chef. I love cooking and have been doing it since I was very young, so making it a career was a perfect fit.

Being a chef, especially for a significant length of time, certainly takes a toll on a body. After experiencing some very painful symptoms, I sought medical help. In 2020, after seeing a number of doctors, I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, Spondylolisthesis, and treated for Major Depressive Disorder and Anxiety. I also had to start using a cane in order to walk. All of this amounted to a need to take some time off from, and eventually leave, my full-time job.

After some respite focusing on healing, I had the opportunity to open my own restaurant. A dream come true, for sure! That meant that I’d be back at it, full speed ahead! Even though I had chronic pain, I, somehow, was able to work through it. As time went on, it got harder and harder to do that. Eventually, I had to close the restaurant. I tried working on catering events, each of which caused more and more pain and led me to be laid up for long stretches of time after the event was over. At that juncture, it was clear that my mind and body could no longer endure it, and I was forced to hang up my apron.

In spring of this year, I had an MRI to determine the root of my ever-increasing pain. It detailed the worsening of the Spondylolisthesis and showed disc bulges and lumbar stenosis. Simply put, my back is out of whack and the nerves are being compressed. I applied for social security disability, and the waiting game began.

I’ve been working since I was 16, and even babysat and did other odd jobs for pay before that. It feels very unusual to me to not be able to go to work every day, and especially put in the typically long days of a chef. Without a regular, full time job to support myself and waiting for disability to come through, I’ve really fallen behind on nearly every bill. It’s even hard to pay for gas to get to and from doctor’s appointments and the like. Up until now, only a very few of my inner circle of people know how much I’ve been struggling financially, as I’m not one to easily ask for help.

I’ve recently been reminded that our communities are there to support and uplift us. With the help of kind and thoughtful people, such as yourself, I could get caught up on bills, such as:

Won’t you please help me in my very personal cause? With your donation of even $25, I could make it go a long way and get closer to my goal. Even many $1 donations would add up. If you’re unable to donate, please share my story on social media and with your own communities. It costs nothing.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.