This, first of all, is so embarrassing to do, but it’s not for me; it’s for my 12-year-old daughter. She has faced many challenges in life, and as her mom, I will do whatever I can to help her. She went in for a hearing test, and we found out she is deaf in one ear and now has a hearing aid. She went in for an MRI to try and find the cause of the hearing loss, and the MRI came back showing a mass behind her inner ear. She has now been referred to Mayo Children’s Hospital in Rochester, MN. We are grateful that such amazing doctors will be taking care of her, but that isn’t even all of what’s happening in our lives.

My sister passed away a year ago, and we have been doing everything we have to do to become a kinship licensed foster family so we can take her youngest boys, as they have been in foster care until we completed this. After a very long wait, we have gotten the word they will be moving down to SD in less than 3 weeks. It’s amazing, and we are very excited, but realistically, love doesn’t put food on the table or a roof over your head, both of which we could lose at any time. It is breaking my heart to be put in a spot where I can either take my child to Mayo or pay my rent. Christmas is coming, and that’s just gonna be non-existent this year.

I’m rambling. I have never posted anything like this, and it’s embarrassing, but I have to do whatever I can for my child. I have to give it my all and not care about how it makes me feel. Layla saved my life when I got pregnant with her. I was not in a good place, and she came into the world, and it all made sense again. Now I have to do whatever I can to help her live her best life. Any little bit helps. I know this world is a hard place for lots of people right now, but if anyone can spare anything, I guarantee you it will mean the world to us. Thank you for taking the time to read this. My cash app is $Shilaliggett and my Venmo is @shila-liggett

update: Layla just had a liver ultrasound and is now being referred to Mayo for endocrinology also. She has anemia and they are concerned her liver isn’t working right. We also have been told my youngest nephew has an appointment in Mayo on the same day as Layla. We now have custody of my nephews and it’s great but it’s a learning experience also. Bills are piling up with doubling our household and there is a delay in any benefits for fostering so January is going to be a very scary month for us. We may lose it all but we will have each other.