Hi friends!!!

Many of you know the past 15 years of my life have been a fight of a lifetime. From homelessness, addiction, incarceration, and losing everything including 2 daughters, family, friends, jobs, romantic relationships, and everything you can possibly think of. I finally landed in court in a situation I couldn't get out of and I was sentenced to 5 1/2 years in the state penitentiary. There, I was able to start to feel myself again, away from the abusive relationship that had controlled my life for the previous 10 years. Every day, I could feel part of myself coming back. My sense of identity not only came back but new versions of it emerged. I could feel myself becoming the best version of myself.

When I made it to the work release program, I fell hard for a guy and we decided to have our son Nash, who is now 3. Although it wasn't the happily ever after I wanted and it hurt like hell to go through losing him, the reality of what life is now set in. Moving back home with my 1-year-old into my mom's was hard and I wasn't sure how the heck I was going to make it. I started working with programs and making calls trying to find a way to make it work. Thanks to programs like First Hope at Matt Talbot and Cedars Family, who I've now worked with for about 2 years, I have managed to get our own place, get my son talking (which he wasn't until well after age 2), and he is now in preschool. We have lived in our own place for around a year. Everything I do is for him and money is extremely tight.

Medicaid made a dream of mine come true by providing me the opportunity to fix my teeth, which sadly were one of the things I let my addiction destroy. Recently, something happened and my partial is now gone. I called Medicaid and they won't help. My dentist said it will cost $1400 out of pocket to get them fixed. It's been such a huge part of me being able to have the confidence I need to carry on and push forward in everything I fight for every day. I can feel my self-esteem slowly shrinking and me losing confidence in myself. I'm asking everyone who can help to please help me get them back so I can feel like the rockstar I was and keep kicking ass every day at being a mom. We all know big changes are coming with our president's new laws and life seems it will only get harder for my baby and me. Please, if you can help in any way. I'm now 3 years out of prison and not one single time have I been in contact with the law. I'm working hard to keep it up but I could sure use some help.