Lesley's Reconstruction Surgery

I feel like a "bum," I have never done anything like this, but I am in desperate need of some moral support and monetary help, to afford for Lesley, my 16-year old daughter's, surgery. First, a little background & a little bit about Lesley: 
She's an amazingly brave, bad-ass. She's super creative and loves art. The last several years have thrown our family some curveballs that greatly affected Lesley especially. In 2015 Lesley was kicking butt in an all-boys soccer league, getting into volleyball, and about to start middle school, when a major growth spurt caused her to develop severe scoliosis. Not long after her diagnosis, her "Papaw," my father, whom Lesley was incredibly close to, committed suicide after a long struggle with his mental health. Lesley changed drastically.  She stopped smiling, and stopped playing sports. She entered middle school the following year, withdrawn from her usual friends, and wearing a full, bulky, backbrace 22-hours a day, every day, in an effort to stop the growing curve in her spine. By 2017, she was really struggling, and asked to move in with her birth father, who had joined the military shortly after her birth and had not played much of a role in her life to that point. As a mother I was devastated, but I also saw that she was hurting, wanting to run from her grief, and looking for her dad to fill the void that my dad left. So, in December of 2017, she moved 20-hours away from all she had ever known, to El Paso, TX, to Fort Bliss Army base. By summer of 2018, the curve in her spine had grown to 60 degrees and was putting pressure on her lungs. Lesley underwent an 8-hour spinal fusion of more vertebrae than had ever been fused at once at the hospital in El Paso where her surgery was performed. She had 3 blood transfusions. I had flown to Texas for the surgery and to help with her recovery, and let me tell you, I have never seen someone so fierce. Her will to quickly recover and fight through the pain, was inspiring.  She was incredibly proud of herself, as am I, and so happy to be free of the curve in her back. However, the severity of the curve had caused a very noticeable difference to one side of her developing chest, which was still slightly deformed from the twist. So, she continued to wear the baggy hoodies that once hid the hump on her back, to hide her chest.  Her emotional wounds, however, after surgery and while still living with her father, began to heal. She continued to progress and mature. At the end of 2018 Lesley and her dad transferred to Fort Dix, an Army base in New Jersey. Lesley spent the following two Christmas and summer here at home, and in March of 2020, Lesley finally began to talk some about possibly coming back home for a while. On March 25th, 2020, Lesley called me hysterically begging for me to come get her. Naturally, I dropped everything and drove 10 hours to get my distressed baby, and as details further unfolded, Lesley disclosed tome that her father had given her sleeping medication that morning, and raped her. Since then we have lived a literal nightmare and participated in a stressful and lengthy investigation by the military, that has also uncovered several past victims.  Empowering Lesley is my #1 priority, but I'm admittedly running short on my own mental and financial resources. 

The nature of her leaving New Jersey meant that she left with basically nothing. The week before she left, I spent over $1,000 on stuff she picked out herself, to decorate her room in New Jersey; she had to leave before those items even shipped. The military thankfully placed a no contact order against her "father," but neither his commander or the family advocacy unit succeeded in recovering any of her personal possessions. I then spent over $3,000 on bedroom furniture, all new clothes, etc. The two biggest expenses to come from this however, will be the surgery she needs to fix her breasts, and for a Kentucky orthodontist to start over with her braces, both of which I will need to pay out of pocket for.  I quietly struggled under the weight of this all until a wealthy friend of a family member offered to pay in full for Lesley's most expensive need, the reconstructive surgery. Lesley and I were both overcome with relief and joy. It felt like something good was finally happening. It almost felt too good to be true, and unfortunately it was. 

Just this morning, Lesley had a consult and scheduled her surgery for August 28th. She couldn't stop telling everyone about how amazing it would finally be, to be a normal 16 year old that wore a bathing suit without embarrassment. She talked about how she disliked her body before the rape, and about how since then the dislike had turned to disgust, and a constant reminder of what happened. She felt free, because this surgery - that we would not yet have scheduled, if not for the promise and and encouragement of such a generous offer - felt to her like her first step in "taking her body" back. 

However, we are back to the roller coaster of emotions and square one, as we were told this evening that the family friend is no longer able to help Lesley. 

I'm shocked, exhausted and confused, and at this point, angry. Lesley didn't ask for any of this, and she deserves so much more. This surgery is admittedly elective, but scheduled under the pretense that someone generous wanted to do something nice. I refuse to pull the rug out from Lesley yet again, and honestly, I can't continue juggling the entirety of the situation on my own. In order to continue as planned, and have the surgery on August 28th, it must be paid for in full.
Again, no one is dying, and there are many with greater needs, but if you are able to help in any way, even if by encouragement only, I will pay it forward 100%. Lesley deserves this and we desperately need a break.