Hi, my name is Brittany, and I'm a mom doing everything I can to stay afloat and provide for my daughter. After spending 7 months searching for a job, after being let go from my previous job the day after going to the ER for kidney stones, I was thrilled to finally be offered a position that I was excited about—one that could help us get back on our feet.

However, just days before I was supposed to start, I went to the ER for excruciating abdominal pain, before having an emergency appendectomy completed. I did not have health insurance yet, as I would not qualify until after starting this job, so I'm now facing the unknown of how much those medical bills will be (along with the follow-up appointments and medication costs).

On top of the medical procedure, I was informed by my surgeon that I am not able to lift over 15 lbs for 6 weeks while I recover—this, as they were rushing me out of the hospital in my hospital gown as soon as I woke up from the anesthesia. As the job position is that of a private duty nurse, I've been placed on unpaid medical leave (until 9/1/25), and now have no income during the time that I was finally supposed to catch a break. Although I may be able to be taken off of medical leave in 6 weeks, there is no guarantee that a home will be open at the exact time that I'm able to begin working again, as it depends on which clients are requesting services or nurse changes.

I'm doing my best to stay strong for my 2-year-old daughter, though I can't even carry her or pick her up when she asks, as she is over the 15 lb weight limit. And she is continuing to grow quickly, and constantly needing certain essentials that I don't know how I'm going to be able to afford now. Between rent, car insurance, utility bills, groceries, and upcoming medical debt, I've run out of options.

I never thought I'd be here, and I'm continuing to try to offer services that I can be paid for (though options are slimmer than before the surgery)—including items in my TikTok showcase that I make commission off of, and cookies and cake sales—but if you're able to help in any way (no matter how small) it would mean the world to us. Every dollar helps lighten the load while I heal and work toward getting back on track. Being the mother of a toddler, the financial and emotional weight of parenting has largely fallen on me, and I'm trying to make sure my girl doesn't need to know how hard life can be right now.

Even if you can't donate, sharing this with your friends and networks would help me more than you know. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading this far and for being part of our support system during this incredibly hard time!

With love and gratitude,

Brittany

*** P.S. While recovering, I do still plan on continuing my "side hustles," including TikTok Shop Affiliate participation and baking for extra cash. If you would rather donate in exchange for something, I'm more than happy to offer a dozen homemade cookies to anyone who'd like a sweet thank-you for supporting us. Just let me know after donating if you'd like this!