In the fight of our life.

Hi, my name is Wendy. This fundraiser is for my little family, to keep us together.

In 2016 I met Travis. He was a breath of fresh air. He was a man who's moral compass pointed due north. He was a hard worker, a family man. He treated me with respect, love, kindness and thoughtfulness. He has always put me and my happiness before himself.

In 2019 his company relocated and we followed. The plan to for me to take 6 months off to figure out what my passion was and pursue it. He'd cover all our expenses.

In February 2020, my grandson was born and sent home with me. This was temporary, or so we thought. Nearly 19 months later he is still with us, brightening out days with his preciousness. I never made it back to the workforce. Travis was on board and supportive.

2020 ... what a year, right? So much happened to our little family, both great and not great. My grandson was the great part. The not so great part was Travis got sick. One morning he woke up and just couldn't go to work. He described it as an overall feeling of bad. After a little digging, he felt like he had weights on his arms and legs. He just couldn't find the strength to walk past the bedroom. 100% out of character for him. He thought it would resolve and 6 weeks later, it had not. Travis is a third generation carpenter and former Navy serviceman who served in the Persian Gulf war. That does not come with sick pay or any type of FMLA. 6 weeks, no pay. He went to the doctor and after a battery of test the conclusion was, cancer. Aggressive stage 3, prostate cancer. This was in December of 2020.

From April to July he was able to collect unemployment, having cancer and undergoing treatment put him at risk from COVID. This wasn't his idea, it was his boss's. Everyone who knows us knows he mustered all his strength to make it in to work, even if it was only 2 days a week. Since his surgery in May, it's been 2 hours, 1 or 2 days a week. We have been blessed by some good friends who have made sure we had what we need.

I've been a medical secretary for more than 20 years. These days, I clean a house, get up at 4 am and make breakfast tacos to sell to his co-workers, and at 10:30 am I start lunch for the guys. I tried to launch a photography business but so much competition and I have this amazing little human I'm caring for so that's not the easiest solution. I tried telephone research marketing from home, being scheduled for 15 hours and getting paid for 5 was disheartening. I remained steadfast for four months.

He came to me tonight and told me I should leave, save myself from this sinking ship. I was crushed. We are a family. Not only that but we are in the process of getting licensed to get permanent guardianship of my grandson. We have to get through this, or I lose the baby. That is so unfathomable that just typing those words knocks the wind out of me. I absolutely can not lose this child. He needs me, I'm all he knows and he is loved beyond measure. He needs both of us. Together. In this house. It's all he knows. I won't downplay this beneath my brave face and smile, I am afraid but more than that I am determined to make it.

So here is where you come in to play, I need a work from home job (MOST of all) or a donation and your prayers. I'd rather work. We have one vehicle and Travis needs it to get to radiation M-F. So I have to work from home.

Your donation will sustain our living expenses until I am blessed with a job; his application to the VA for disability benefits is approved; or his SSA disability benefits are approved. The state provides money to take care of the baby's needs. We need to pay rent, utilities and my car note. We are past due on rent by 2 months. Thankfully, we rent from someone who I believe would not through us out yet. If we don't have a house, we lose the baby. I'm not giving up.