That’s me up there, in one leg of the pants I used to have to wear… after years of hard work, I lost over 200lbs, hoping it would finally ease my chronic back pain. I went in for a reconstructive surgery consult, only to find out that the true cause of my pain is an umbilical hernia. The hernia developed after my pregnancy—the one that brought our incredible son into the world. What I thought was a relatively simple surgery has become a necessary fleur-de-lis reconstructive repair, a more involved surgery to fix the hernia, strengthen my abdominal wall, and try to ease the pain that has been weighing on me every day. Unfortunately, insurance won’t cover the abdominal wall repair work required, leaving me with a hard choice and unexpected financial crunch.

This procedure will use a very large T-shaped incision to properly repair the hernia and restore some strength to my core. Without it the problem could worsen and the pain could become even more unbearable.

As an older mom, I have a high-energy, talented 5-year-old who needs me to be present and active in his daily life. You’ve all seen what an incredible boy he is, and frankly, a hernia is a small price to pay to get to be his mom. But I can’t pretend it isn’t affecting him, too. The pain has makes it hard to keep up and fully engage with him, and it hurts my heart to miss out on these moments. Getting this surgery would mean everything—it would allow me to be the mom my son should have, helping him grow up with the support and love he needs.

I have wonderful support from my husband and a rock-solid plan for aftercare. I just need help with this hurdle.

Please consider sharing or donating to help me get back to being the mom my amazing boy deserves. Your support and shares mean the world to me and my little family. Thank you for reading my story and for any kindness you can offer.