Dear friends, family, and potential donors,

On February 26, 2026, I underwent a laparoscopic right cystectomy procedure, which means a dermoid cyst was surgically removed from my right ovary. Since May of 2022, I have experienced ovulation cramps every month on my right lower abdomen. The painful ovulation cramps continued monthly until August of 2024, when the pain became excruciating.

I woke up in the middle of the night in severe pain and went to the emergency room, where the doctors detected an ovarian cyst through a CT scan. I made an appointment with my gynecologist, who suggested either surgical removal of the cyst or using birth control pills, hoping they would shrink it. The pills did not work, so I just endured severe monthly cramping.

About a year later, I had a flare-up of extreme pain resulting in another trip to the ER. I could no longer tolerate the fluctuating flare-ups, so I decided to move forward with surgery. Since this condition was not considered high-risk, I was placed on a waitlist for months. This past January, I experienced the worst pain I have ever suffered. I knew it was my cyst, so I managed with over-the-counter pain medications. I called the medical offices to inquire about the surgery, making sure my case was not forgotten. The agent placed me on another waitlist where I could be bumped up in case another surgery was canceled. A week later, a spot opened up three weeks in advance, and I accepted. However, I then became stressed about the short amount of time I had to get time off from work and the resulting financial burden. To this day, I am still dealing with the process of obtaining an excused leave of absence and disability.

This past Thursday, I underwent the laparoscopic surgery where the doctors successfully removed the cyst from my ovary with no complications. I was discharged from the hospital the same day of the surgery. At home, I had trouble breathing and experienced shortness of breath. My family believed it was caused by the intubation during surgery and that my breathing would return to normal. The next day, I had a phone call scheduled with my OBGYN for a wellness check. He was surprised to hear of my symptoms, expressing it was unusual to experience difficulty breathing after surgery, and suggested I immediately go to urgent care. I was redirected to the emergency room because I was told that, based on my symptoms, I could have a possible blood clot as a result of the surgery.

While the ER was busy due to it being a Friday afternoon, I was called soon after checking in. I got my vitals checked, took an EKG test to monitor my heartbeat, and gave blood and urine samples. It took almost three hours to finally get a room, with the entirety of the ER visit lasting nearly twelve hours. It was necessary to get a CT scan in order to get a clear image of my torso, but I was not able to lay down for the five minutes it would take to complete the scan. It felt like every time I reclined or even slightly slouched, my airway would be blocked. The alternate option was to get an X-ray photo of my chest, but the image did not capture much, so the nurses urged me to get the CT scan. The long wait made it harder for me to breathe. I was given an oxygen treatment to ease my pain, but it did not work. I attempted the CT scan once again. The second I leaned back a couple of inches on the bed, my chest became tight, and it felt like I couldn’t breathe. I was given morphine to manage the pain. Minutes later, the pain was still unbearable, so I was given another dosage, which numbed the pain in my chest and lungs, making it possible to finally lie down for the CT scan.

The doctors were able to use the images to rule out the possibility of a blood clot, but they did discover collapsed air pockets in my lungs and an early case of pneumonia. I was prescribed antibiotics, and a breathing device was given to me to help my lungs expand.

While I do have medical insurance, navigating the process of receiving disability has been difficult, time-consuming, and drawn out. I am humbly asking for any help. For the sake of transparency, the funds raised would be utilized for the copayment of the surgery, medications, the bills from the trip to the emergency room, rent, utilities, and personal expenses as a result of lost wages. I am grateful for any and all help I receive. Thank you for taking the time to read this.

xx,

Kat <3