Hi, my name is Jen. I’m a 36-year-old mom to two beautiful children ages 5 & 7. I am an esthetician whom is passionate about helping others feel beautiful and empowered — inside and out. I’ve been truly blessed with a wonderful small business I couldn’t be more grateful for!

But behind the smiles, there are many tears and anxious nights and days! I’ve been fighting a personal daily battle for years now and my condition is worsening.

MY STORY:

At just 19, I was misled, joining a group of models in LA to Mexico for a perkier bottom. I traveled to Mexico after coworkers encouraged me that there was nothing to be afraid of as they had gone and come with no complications. We were trusting that we were receiving safe “hyaluronic acid injections” to create a small projection in our glutes. Instead, it was illegal industrial-grade silicone — the kind that can migrate through the body, block arteries, cause tissue death, organ failure, amputation or even sudden death.

For years I thought I was dealing with postpartum chronic pains and postpartum depression. I had to learn like I always had to, to just cope with daily pain , back spasms, pins and needles, lower extremity numbness, incredible debilitating exhaustion, massive hair loss, autoimmune flares and almost weekly inflammation.

After multiple MRIs, I’ve learned the truth: the silicone has spread through my body, building scar tissue and masses they call granulomas. MRI shows the substance deep within my sciatic nerve with a generous amount of scar tissue which is pressing into my sciatic nerve and causing the debilitating daily pain. MRI shows this poison has migrated up into my lower back sciatic nerve, gluteus max muscle and my left leg from knee/calf to ankle. It has left me in constant pain, swelling, and numbness. I can’t sit for long periods, I can’t walk for long periods and every time I try to get back into my normal gym routine my leg flares and we begin the process of medications to bring down inflammation so that I can simply get back to work. This has been exhausting and has taken a toll on my entire life. My family, my ability to be the energetic mother I know deep within I am and of course a daily struggle to keep up with work. 

on constant medications for inflammation biweekly ER visit to rule out blood clots and manage with so many prescriptions until the next flare.

This is not cosmetic. This is life-threatening.

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The Urgency

UPDATE: God is so GOOD! My surgery is scheduled in 1 month with a specialized surgeon experienced in silicone removal. Without it, I face permanent nerve damage, tissue necrosis, amputation or worse.

The total hospital bill is $37,000. Through the grace of God and the generosity of family, I was able to secure a personal family loan to cover the larger portion of the cost for treatment so that the surgery itself can move forward.

Now, I am asking for help to raise funds to help cover the critical recovery stage:

• Out-of-state recovery care (4–6 weeks)

• Housing and travel expenses

• Lost income while I am unable to work

• Childcare and basic living expenses while I heal ‍‍

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Why I’m Sharing This ❤️

I never imagined I’d be here — exhausted, in pain, and asking for help. But I believe in community, in second chances, and most of all, in God’s faithfulness. I share my story not only to fight for my life, but also to raise awareness so that no other young woman makes the mistake I did at 19.

True beauty isn’t external. It’s how we live, love, show up for each other and who we are at our core! TRUE BEAUTY IS INTERNAL and sadly I learned this in a very harsh way!

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How You Can Help

If you can give — any amount $5, $10 … whatever your heart feels lead to. Anything amount would be truly helpful & greatly appreciated.

If you can’t, please share my story so it can reach more hearts.

This has been an incredibly humbling journey and I’ve sat silently for over a year depressed and stressed overthinking the worst.

I’ve been broken down so low and I have been crippled with anxiety and fear of the future.

I was ashamed. I was afraid and I was paralyzed by fear and anxiety of mostly not being here to raise my beautiful children.

But, I owe it to my kids to fight for my life and theirs. Sometimes the only way to rebuild is to be broken so far down that the only way back up is to create something new. To pick up the broken pieces of our past and fight with all we have to create the most vibrant collage of it.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for standing with me and my children in this fight for life and healing. With God’s grace, I believe this chapter will end not in tragedy, but in testimony.

With gratitude,

thank you for taking the time and for your interest and heart in helping me and my family.

❤️ Jen