My name is Niki Stewart. I was born and raised in Alaska and for the last 18 years I have been the sole breadwinner for my family. My husband is disabled and unable to work. We have two beautiful daughters. The youngest is developmentally disabled and has congestive heart failure. I didn’t even know young people could get CHF until she was diagnosed last year. My eldest is battling a host of autoimmune and genetic disorders that keep her in chronic pain and she must be on a very restricted and expensive nutrition program just to survive. She is unable to work.

Life is a daily struggle of medical expenses not covered by insurance, mystery illnesses with no diagnoses or treatment, the four of us disabled people trying to deal with our conditions and me just trying to keep everyone’s head above water and keep my home and my job.

But, now I am incapacitated and we need help. I underwent an orthopedic surgery in June and three weeks later ended up in the hospital with a life threatening saddle pulmonary embolism. For those who don’t know, a saddle PE is a giant formation of blood clots that straddles the aorta and glues itself into the veins in both lungs. It makes it difficult to breath, to move, to sleep, and to work. It’s fatal in 25% of patients. I have responded well so far to treatment, but it is a long road to recovery stretching over many months..

Combined with my preexisting mobility issues and chronic pain, I am struggling to get through each day and go to work on top of it.

I have started this fund raiser because my youngest daughter is having surgery on August 1st and our car isn’t working. I need a working vehicle to get her to appointments and to the hospital, and I need to get to the pharmacy for her meds. I’ve relied on friends as much as I am able but now I have no choice but to get my car repaired.

I don’t have an exact figure for the car repair expenses in total but any money raised above and beyond the actual expense will be applied to my daughters’ healthcare. This includes specialized nutrition, supplements, and prescriptions not covered by insurance.

Thank you for taking the time to hear our story and, if you are so moved, thank you for any financial gift you can offer. I’m too tired to write much more, but God Bless You and Keep You for all your tomorrows. Amen.