Well…it’s been a long haul, but, we have emerged from this experience with a renewed sense of purpose and clarity regarding our personal morals and ethical convictions as human beings and I as a clinician. We have been transformed by this journey, and we are now more determined than ever to make a meaningful impact in the world. It has been a little over a year since I have been able to work. I was “awarded” disability last April and put on fee-for-service Medicaid, which has been a game-changer for me. (The insurance, not the disability!) However, even with all the generous assistance, it has been impossible to keep up on absolutely everything, but we have learned to prioritize and focus on what truly matters. I have one more surgery pending in Ohio; however, I have been released to try to go back to work through the ticket to work program through disability, which is a huge step forward for me. I have applied for, got turned down for, and elected to turn down too many “opportunities” than I can even count… until last Friday! **More about that in a moment. Financially, we are not completely out of the woods, but we are confident that we will get there. It would be bizarre for me not to get this position that I interviewed for last Friday, and I am excited about the opportunities that it may bring. With that in mind, we need to figure out how to bridge the gap between now and when a salary starts to consistently come in. Overall, we think we have done a pretty good job, and we/I am proud of what we/I have accomplished. We need to catch up on a few car payments, we need some repairs done so we can renew tags, and we have to figure out how to pay for this trip to Ohio to get my gallbladder removed and a bowel surgery, but we aredetermined to make it happen. We honestly didn’t think I was going to make it… but I did, and I’m going to continue to do so! I still have the autoimmune disorders, I still have chronic pain and chronic fatigue, I still have a paralyzed stomach, but after over two weeks in the hospital, accumulative, and the hard work of some wonderful SSM team players, I have my nutrition delivered to my home, and I have achieved my goal weight and then some! I am meeting with my rheumatologist tomorrow to discuss further treatment, and we are excited about the possibilities. At this point, we will either continue with the IVIg therapy or move onto plasma exchange and chemotherapy, but we are ready for whatever comes next. We are determined to push through this and, hopefully, I can rock this new position! (Although, I’ve not heard back yet…) However, we really do need some help filling in the gaps. Originally, my payout was supposed to be $30,000, and I believe that amount would’ve been pretty accurate… although, extremely unfortunate, I had no longer qualified for the payout that I was paying premiums for to cover me in the event of a critical illness such as this. (The company I worked for had just changed the verbiage on the addendum two months prior to me filing the claim.) Therefore, we have added $5000 to our GoFundMe needs and we will update our Amazon needs list, and we are insanely grateful for any support that we can get. We really believe if we all work together, we can come out of this victoriously! Clinicians, such as myself and a handful of others that I know, are rare beacons of hope in our field. Although the financial rewards of working with major networks are substantial, the organizations’ “visions’” lack the hands and feet needed to drive meaningful change. With that in mind, I had an incredibly empowering interview! Finally! I completely crushed it! There's no doubt in my mind that I'm going to land this amazing opportunity! (Crossing everything!) It's a hybrid position, working with the state of Missouri in conjunction with Compass Health and Easter Seals; as a nurse case manager with a case load of about 200 people served that are on Medicaid and have intellectual disabilities who live within St. Louis City and St. Charles. (DD Heath Home program. NOT home health! Huge difference!) They have 7 and are filling one last position. They said that I would know either way in no less than a week. It's a hybrid position, Monday through Friday 8-5, I set up my own schedule, they provide company phone, laptop, any ergonomic equipment I would need to work from home; such as a desk that stands up, which I will need, and of course, mileage reimbursement and the ability to work anywhere if needed. Not too sure about rate of pay. My guess will be about $30-$35 an hour. It's not like a home health case manager. That is definitely $100,000 a year position. This is much lighter work, so I'm OK with lesser pay in order to work with an organization that aligns with my ethics and inspires me to make a real difference. I'm proud to say that I still continue to operate my own LLC, providing pro bono care and case management, patient advocacy, and expert witness services for local law firms. I reserve these pro bono services for the most vulnerable populations and continue to focus my expert witness work on domestic violence cases. We are so very thankful for all the love and support that has been shown on us and we appreciate absolutely anything that can go towards filling in this gap. We can’t believe we made it! All glory goes to God and the wisdom that He has given to my treatment team and my caregivers! Without my Abba Father, I wouldn’t be here on this earth right now. I may have been in a better place, but obviously He is not done using me here yet! Sorry! You are all still stuck with me…a little broken and bent, but still good! Thank you again for all of your generosity and support! With unmeasurable love, Tim Callahan and Rachel Anderson, RN, BSN, 2024 St. Louis Region Worldwide Professional Woman of the Year…still rocking!