Hi, I'm Madison, or Madi, or possibly Motis to you if you've known me long enough.

Up until recently, I felt like the picture of health, I've been establishing my life in my new home in the redwoods of Eureka, California, and making strides to a new career as a teacher -- one I feel great passion for. It's been tough at times, but I wouldn't trade it for anything, I just had to keep going and couldn't take time to pump the brakes between work and school.

One night in February, I was suddenly in agonizing pain. I thought it was some bad food, or indigestion, and after a little bit it started to subside. However, after sleep the pain did not go away. After a day of malingering and trying to cover with OTC pain killers, my wife convinced me to go to the ER. A few hours later I was diagnosed with a perforated apendix. Not great, but hey, people get their appendixes out all the time, I'm sure this won't be too long. Surgery, a few days to heal, and then back home. And then, many infections later, I finally did go home. For a grand total of 5 and a half days.

I was readmitted with a recurring infection that left me hospitalized for another week. I went home, feeling okay, doing my maintenance, but then I started getting more pain and things weren't getting better. I finally hobbled back to the ER and now, I'm waiting on some biopsy reports that will tell me some bigger answers about my health but it's the waiting game.

All this long-winded story to say, I have been out of work for a month and a half and bills don't go on pause just because you landed in the hospital with a string of misfortune. I wouldn't normally reach out to others over my financial burdens, I've always been proud to be independent, but I'm kind of between a rock and a hard place.

Ultimately, I am entirely grateful for any help you can provide for me and my family to make it through this really difficult time. I've had a lot of personal pause in making the decision to reach out to my friends and family in this way, but I understand that I'm probably being a lot harder on myself than I should be.

With much love and gratitude,

Madison