I don't really know how to start this. I'm going to do my best to make this make sense and give you as much information as I can... I am in a pickle right now. I'm struggling so bad, my bills are past due, my account is empty, I'm incredibly ashamed of myself for struggling so hard right now and that I'm having to do this, but I don't know what else to do at this moment... so here goes nothing...

Hi everyone, my name is Jen (Jenifer Reynolds). I was in a car accident in July of 2024 while on my way to work. It's a busy road in town that is 7 lanes wide, 3 on each side with the middle being a median with occasional gaps with turn lanes. I was in the far-right lane, my lane was clear all the way to the next red light which was my turn. The middle lane and far left lane were backed up and stopped all the way to that redlight. An suv decided to take a chance and turn and make a left hand turn to get into the shopping center which was on my right. He couldn't see me and I couldn't see him until he was right Infront of me. I slammed on brakes and braced myself, I couldn't stop and t-boned him almost at full speed (speed limit was 45mph). My right leg was stuck under the dash with my foot still on the brake pedal, both my knees slammed into the dash, my hips hurt, my lower spine hurt, my neck hurt, I had deep bruising from my seat belt, and my wrists, elbows, and shoulders were sore for some time after from bracing before the impact (which in hindsight wasn't smart). I had to have the firefighters help get me out of the car and into the ambulance. Unfortunately, it took 45 minutes after the accident for emergency services to get there. I took some time off from work but went back to work because obviously I needed the money, but I also didn't want to let down my team, and work was my second home and extended family. I had good pain days and bad pain days, I pushed through and did more physical things than I should have jusy trying to get through work. I couldn't walk without pain (still can't), and I had to wear a knee brace every day to help with stability and pressure.

Fast forward to April of 2025, and I lost my job after 18 years working in retail. It was my first and only job in my life, and it was my constant. I'm going to be real and say that this absolutely destroyed me and I'm still mentally recovering. After abusive relationships taking up almost 16 years of my life, my job was the only constant safe thing in my life. I lost myself over those years, I changed myself for the people I was with, turned into someone I never thought I would become, I was unhealthy, I became a heavy alcoholic for many years. I got out, I got away, and I got sober (8 years sober and counting). My job was my crutch that I leaned on to get through everything in my adult life. I gave them 18 years of blind dedication, normally putting my job first before myself. I know I shouldn't say my job was my life, but... it was.

Since then, I haven't been able to get a job. The job market is so tough right now for even small simple cashier jobs. If you know anyone recently who has been struggling with that, you know how bad it is. The other unfortunate fact here was that my boyfriend lost his job the month before me. I have been in a struggling battle with unemployment. We survived off his unemployment and what little was in my 401K, which is now gone. My boyfriend luckily landed a job at a gas station in February 2026, it doesn't pay much, but its something. I'm still struggling to get around every day. I have spent the last year getting treated for my main injuries from the accident (both knees and lower spine). My knees have meniscus, muscle, and cartilage damage. My lower spine is compressed from L2-L5 with bulging disks and a genetic disease that I didn't know I had. I have Baastrup's Syndrome/ Baastrup's Disease (also kissing spine syndrome) which I guess is a degenerative disease that causes the lower disks to degrade so the vertebrae end up rubbing together and getting stuck on one another. My spinal disorder made my spine weaker which allowed for it to be more susceptible to be damaged from the wreck.

My medical treatment process slowed down when I was still working because it was hard finding appointment times that worked around my work schedule originally. After losing my job, it slowed down more because I discovered I'm allergic to a few medications, so I had to get allergy tests done to see what I could safely use for knee, hip, and spinal injections. I needed two different medication challenge appointments which took months to get into and have done. I had knee surgery on my right knee in December of 2025, and I have more range of motion now, but my knee/leg is still very weak because it was injured for so long before I could get the surgery done. I'm still in physical therapy and keep pushing that daily. I am finally scheduled for my left knee surgery Wednesday, May 27, 2026. I am awaiting my spinal surgery consultation appointment next month at the end of June 2026. I was originally supposed to have my spinal surgery consultation a few months ago but was postponed due to my surgeon performing an emergency surgery the morning of my appointment. I have reapplied for unemployment (not sure if I can even get on it), I'm on Medicare, I temporarily have SNAP benefits, and I'm applying for rental assistance.

I'm still applying for jobs and not hearing anything. I am trying to find something I can do that isn't going to make things worse for my body. It is impossible to predict how much pain I'll be in from a day-to-day basis and what I might be able to do or not do. I can't stand for too long, I can't sit for too long, laying down helps but then it hurts, and if I move the wrong way or stay in the wrong position, it hurts and can make it worse.

I have always struggled with my mental health since I was a kid. I've struggled with self-harm addiction, suicidal ideations, and eating disorders for most of my life. I smoked cigarettes and drank on and off from high school on, but after a time within my past abusive relationships, they too became a constant in my life too. I've attempted to take my own life many times in my life from a young age until the last time in 2016. I'm not going to sit here and say I was in perfect mental health before the car accident, absolutely not. Life with mental health is something that is always there, its not always a constant battle, but its there.

I'm bringing all of this up to be clear and open on who I am and what I've been dealing with. This is the first time in my life I have not been financially independent; I have spent over a year now unemployed. I have not been able to walk properly since the accident, my knees, hips, and lower spine are still very dysfunctional. I haven't had the mobility or strength that I used to have since the accident. I've been in constant pain since the accident. I have been trying to find anything I can. I'm stuck in a hard place because now my right knee is getting stronger, I'm having the left knee worked on and I'm going to be off my feet again... and then whenever I'm cleared from that I will probably have something done on my back to help my spine. I feel so lost and alone and scared I'm never going to be "normal" again. It feels impossible to find a job and work to gain financial security around my surgeries, treatments, recovery, etc. I need help getting back only feet, I know finances are tight for so many people right now. I'm ashamed of myself right now and I don't know how I'm going to get through this.