A week and a half ago, I lost consciousness for an indeterminate amount of time - when I came to I was in the ER. I’m pretty sure I fell at some point and when the boys’ mom found me I was stuck in a loop asking where I was and what was happening. I’m eternally grateful that her and my guys acted so quickly to get me the help I needed.

I was told by the cardiologists and electrophysiologists that it was caused by something called Brugada Syndrome, a genetic condition that affects the heart’s electrical system causing irregular rhythms. I must have had a misfire of my heart and temporarily lost oxygen to my brain causing me to fall. I might not be as lucky with future episodes as the affliction is potentially fatal so I’m thankful they caught it when they did - but they did have to install a defibrillator as a precaution and failsafe. I underwent emergency surgery on Monday, February 3rd to have this device installed and I am now at home recovering.

On top of this, since the initial incident involved passing out, I am temporarily not allowed to drive a vehicle for six months. This is a little cumbersome, to say the least, as I live alone and need to get the boys to school and myself to work when I eventually return.

Between medical bills, lost time at work and the expenses that come with needing to use ride share services when friends/support can't provide a ride (the bus system here is great but not perfect) things add up pretty quickly, so I'm asking for financial support to help get us through. It's possible I might be going on short term disability and will need the extra cushioning to make sure an unexpected life event doesn't spiral out into a struggle.

Thank you for thinking of us and for contributing what you can. We love and appreciate all of you more than you know!