Help support Sam's mental health bills

I never thought I would have to do one of these. I've always thought of myself as self-sufficient and don't like asking for help. Part of my healing journey, however, is trying to ask for help when I need it and not taking on this burden alone.

In early September, I was hospitalized with depression and suicidal ideations. You may know that I have suffered from skin conditions most of my adult life and more recently I've been bed bound by the condition. The condition affects the skin on my entire body and makes it difficult to sleep, eat, bathe, or have any sort of life. My skin falls off every single day and I am in incredible pain most of the time (I will spare you from seeing the photos of this haha). This compounded with my underlying mental health issues and culminated in an ER visit and a hospital stay to both treat the pain, infections, and skin issues as well as my mental health.

Checking myself into a clinic was absolutely the right choice at the time. I was scared. I felt alone. And I was hurting. I was able to get some help and have started new medications for both my skin and my brain and I'm happy to report that I am healing slowly but surely. The process isn't linear and it's hard. It's so hard. But joy is returning to my life again.

But what's made it easier, shockingly to me, is actually telling people how I'm doing and asking for help when I need it. I think it's easy to forget how inherently kind people are and that people do in fact love and care about you. And this whole process has been life-changing in a good way despite the lows.

I was hit with a $13,000 bill for my time in the hospital. I was able to pay down $10,000 of it from my savings, which is most of my savings. I'm asking for help, because I need it, in covering the remaining balance. Though the choice to go to the hospital was the right one, I am left with so much guilt about how it affects those around and me how it has affected my personal finances. No one should be penalized for getting life-saving care; I've always thought this and always will.

I understand times are hard right now and money is tight. I would be eternally grateful for any donations in addition to any shares of this fundraiser. I am certainly not the first person to be hit with overwhelming hospital bills and I will not be the last. But we're stronger together and I am better for asking for help.

Thank you and all my love,

Sam