Hi, my name is Krista. Writing this is incredibly hard for me. Asking for help has never come easy, and I wouldn’t be here doing this if my options weren’t extremely limited. But after a lot of prayer and reflection, I’m taking a leap of faith.

I’m a 37-year-old single mom who has always tried to make it on my own. Unfortunately, my health has made that impossible right now.

For the past several years, I’ve been dealing with serious heart issues. In 2021, I had my tricuspid valve replaced with a tissue prosthetic that was expected to last 10–15 years. Sadly, after being diagnosed with heart failure in May of last year and undergoing surgery to install a defibrillator and new pacemaker in July 2025, doctors discovered that my valve is already failing after just four years.

Over the past three months I’ve gone through multiple tests and procedures, including a heart catheterization and a transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE), to determine the best path forward. We discussed getting on the transplant list, but thankfully the right side of my heart is still strong enough that doctors believe I can undergo another open-heart surgery to replace the valve with a mechanical one. I will learn my surgery date on March 25th.

Right now, everyday tasks are extremely difficult. Simple things like getting my daughter ready for school leave me out of breath and exhausted. The fatigue from restricted blood flow makes even normal activities feel overwhelming. As a mom, especially a single mom, that is incredibly hard.

We finally have a home that feels stable and safe, and my biggest fear right now is losing everything I’ve worked so hard to build for my children while going through this medical battle.

I’m trusting that God will provide and carry us through this. Creating this GoFundMe is a step of faith after weeks of praying about whether I should do it.

Please don’t feel obligated to donate. Your prayers, encouragement, and sharing this mean just as much to me. But if you do feel led to help, please know how deeply grateful I am. It would give us some breathing room during a time when everything feels heavy and uncertain, a time where I feel I have no air left.

Even if all you did was take the time to read this, thank you.

I’ll continue sharing updates here, as well as parts of my journey on Facebook and TikTok, in hopes that others facing difficult circumstances know they are not alone.

Thank you for being here with me.