Four years ago, a drunk driver turned my life upside down, and I’ve been working hard ever since to rebuild. Just when I thought I was finally on the upswing, life threw me another curveball.

This past October, I started physical therapy to manage the chronic pain I’ve been living with since the accident. After just one visit, something went horribly wrong, and now I need surgery to replace two discs in my neck. It’s been months of unrelenting pain, three ER visits, and endless appointments—and all while trying to manage the ongoing pain from my original spinal injuries. The discs being out of place in my neck are effecting my shoulders and arms, making even the simplest tasks feel impossible to do with ease. I haven’t been able to work since the PT visit at the end of October :/

Surgery is scheduled for tomorrow, January 29th, and recovery could take another 3–6 months. I’ve burned through my savings, maxed out my credit cards, and made the tough decision to move back to Michigan after the surgery to live in my sister’s basement so I can rely on her help physically, emotionally and financially by cutting back on living expenses. Even with all this, the surgery will cost me $3,200 out of pocket.

Adding to the stress, I don’t qualify for unemployment or disability because I haven’t been back in the state long enough to meet the requirements. On top of that, my claim against the physical therapy office—where this all started—was denied, leaving me with no options for financial relief.

To be honest, the weight of it all has been crushing. Fighting off depression has been an uphill battle, and the past couple of weeks, it’s really started to sink in as the financial burdens are becoming very real. I’m doing my best to stay optimistic, but this is one of the hardest times of my life…yet again.

If you’re able to help in any way—whether it’s through a donation or simply sharing this page—it would mean the world to me. Your support would not only help cover surgery and living expenses while I recover but also give me some hope to hang onto as I work toward getting somewhat back to my life and hopefully exploring a career path less demanding on my body.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, it is absolutely killing me to have to ask for help. Every bit of kindness helps more than I can put into words.

With gratitude,

Ashley