Hi friends! As most of you know my name is Amanda, and to some I’m also Mama Hen. Asking for help, especially financially, isn’t really a strength of mine, as I am usually the one that will always find a way to help someone in need, but unfortunately we have come to a place in my health journey where I don’t have many options.

Not many know that I got sick just after Christmas 12/27/24, and since it has been an absolute struggle bus for our household. While sick I visited the ER 3 times, had 4 telehealth visits, and saw my primary are doctor twice, to finally determine I had RSV and then got Flu A from our boys. During that time I had some excruciating pain in my chest, back, and neck, and a headache that is still burdening me even as I write this, nothing has provided any relief. The pain started getting worse as the days passed getting nerve pain in my shoulders and down my arms into my hands and fingers, my PCP told me it was body aches, then after no relief said it was just a tension headache and referred to to have PT, deep tissue massage, and dry needling. I pleaded with him that I know nerve pain and to please refer me to an orthopedic dr to be seen, he refused (I had 2 back surgeries in 2018, nerve pain and I know each other pretty well at this point.)

I did the first PT visit without any relief or answers, even they felt like it wasn’t muscle related after all of their exercises, tests, and dry needling. I decided to call my orthopedic office myself, I’ll be the first to tell you to listen to your body, so I did. They agreed to see me, thankfully.

After explaining that I’m not sleeping and this headache doesn’t go away and how the nerve pain continues to spread and worsen he ordered an MRI which shows I have 3 disc protrusions in my neck, 2 are on nerve roots (it also mentioned how terrible my thyroid looks but that will be a story time for a different day.)

After reviewing my MRI today I’m now getting ready to see a spinal surgeon to prepare for surgery. X-rays of my lower and middle back showed several compression fractures, so he’s ordering another mri with contrast of the rest of my spine and hips. So may end up being multiple surgeries.

I’m starting this because we will desperately need help with the cost of surger(y/ies), MRIs, and just the cost of living, after being so sick to start the year and now this I have literally only been able to work a handful of days in 2025, so we are struggling to make it by.

We will take all the prayers we can get, anything else, even if it is just sharing this for us.

Thank you, we love you all.