Earlier this year, Annette was diagnosed with breast cancer. We are adapting and dealing with this diagnosis, but it has certainly turned our lives upside down. As we progress along the difficult road toward recovery, we are now facing overwhelming medical costs and other expenses as recovery time and lost wages mount.

Annette graduated with her LPN in January but was diagnosed a week after receiving her license from the state. She has not been able to start a job in her field or continue toward her BSN, because the operations and recovery make work and school impossible.

Annette has her double mastectomy scheduled for August 18th. In addition to this, Charlie is scheduled to have his third back surgery, a spinal fusion, in a few weeks. Neither of us will be able to work for up to two months this fall, with several of those weeks overlapping. As some of you may know, all this comes on top of medical expenses, which we are still paying off, related to Annette’s brain surgery in 2023 and Charlie’s spinal surgery in 2024.

We are raising funds to help cover medical and other expenses so that we can focus entirely on healing without the added stress of financial hardship. Every donation makes a difference. If you’re unable to donate at this time, sharing this page with your friends and family would mean the world to us.

Thank you for your kindness and support.

UPDATE: Unfortunately, Annette's mastectomy didn't go as planned. One week after the initial operation another was required to address a problem. Just one week later a third surgery was needed on the other breast to correct a similar problem. If that wasn't enough, her stomach became necrotic which required a fourth operation. She was given a wound vac which helped close the wound but not well enough. To finally address her stomach Annette will be having a fifth surgery, a skin graft in two weeks. We really hope this finally sets her on the road to recovery. All these complications have prevented her from returning to work.

Charlie's spinal fusion went extremely well and he's progressing nicely. He can hopefully return to work after his six week follow up in November.

We're now facing an unplanned month with no income and our insurance company paid for very little of the home health supplies required for the woumd vac.

We greatly appreciate all the help everyone has provided in the past and possibly in the future.

With gratitude,

Annette and Charlie Schultz