Hi friends, family, and chosen family —

I never imagined I’d be writing something like this.

Back in November, I had surgery that was supposed to put me on the road to healing. Week 9 into my recovery took a terrifying turn. Monday morning, I woke up in a pool of blood — my vaginal cuff had completely torn open, undoing all of my internal stitches. My doctor of over 20 years has only ever seen this happen one other time. It is extremely rare… and extremely dangerous.

Thanks to a team of literal miracle-working surgeons, it was caught in time and I survived. After emergency surgery and a hospital stay, I’m finally back home — grateful to be alive, grateful for the doctors who saved me, and grateful for every person who has reached out with love.

Unfortunately, this means another major surgery this year that was never in the plan.

My doctors have placed me on a minimum of 12 weeks of strict bed rest. I can’t leave my house. I can’t work. I can’t do the things I rely on to support myself. The financial impact of this has been overwhelming, and the reality is that we simply cannot get through the next few months alone.

If you are able to donate — any amount at all — it will help cover basic living expenses while I focus on healing and preventing further complications. If you’re not able to give, sharing this with your network would mean the world to me.

I am so incredibly grateful to be alive, and I am endlessly thankful for the love of this chosen family. Your support — emotional, financial, or simply through kind words — is what’s getting me through this.

Thank you for reading, for sharing, and for standing with me in one of the hardest chapters of my life.

So much love,

Niiko