It's me, Zoe, aka Zoe Dee, zoemilwaukee, aka Emma's wife. I've been known to go to great lengths, mostly to my own detriment, not to ask for help when I need it. Well, I've grown up a bit and know myself much better now, so... this is me asking for help.

I'll start from the beginning. My wife, Emma, started having lower back pain in June 2024. We initially thought it was from her summer job farming in Jackson, WI. Farming is hard work, crouching and bending over for hours on end. So she went to a few physical therapy sessions, hopeful that it would help relieve the pain, but it couldn't do the trick. Emma trusted herself and her body and sought the advice of her PCP, who listened and trusted that something more was going on. She ordered X-rays and MRIs, which showed that Em, in fact, has a mass on her spine, roughly 6.4 cm long. Then Em met with a neurosurgeon at St. Luke's on 1/13 to discuss next steps. He said the only real option is to remove as much of the mass as possible. So, Em is having a major spine surgery on 1/30. The surgeon says the tumor is most likely benign and has been slow-growing over the past several months, maybe years. They cannot know for sure until after the surgery, when part of the tumor will be sent to pathology for a biopsy. A bit of bone will be removed to get at the tumor, and replaced with screws in her spine for stabilization (this is known as a spinal fusion). After what is estimated to be 2-3 nights in the hospital post-op, her recovery time is expected to be 12-14 weeks. She will be unable to work during this time due to restrictions on lifting and bending.

Emma is the strongest person I know. Watching her in consistent significant pain for months has been heartbreaking, and I feel helpless most of the time. The tumor pushing on her spine is causing nerve pain, which causes sharp, shooting pain that radiates from the back down her left leg, also causing numbness and tingling. She's severely lacking in sleep and relies on medication to manage the pain. If you've seen her out and about, you'd have no idea she was in so much pain. She's exhausted and more than ready for this surgery.

I'm still in shock that this is the reality but relieved that we have answers and a plan. Em is young and healthy and is going to be okay. I know it. We are lucky to have health insurance but did not expect this expense in the least. As we all know, our joke of a healthcare system leaves insured and uninsured Americans alike with massive amounts of debt for receiving necessary, life-saving care.

Emma is truly one of the most incredibly caring, intuitive, talented and STUNNING people ever. She is tough as hell and works harder than literally anyone I know. Help me support her through this scary, painful journey. I know so many of you know and love her and understand completely why I fell so head over heels for her. Emma is the best, so let's let her know that.

Here's the part where I ask for help. I'm asking you to consider donating if you can. Literally any amount is appreciated more than you know. $1, $5, $20 matters. Mutual aid is a beautiful concept and something that I'm very passionate about. Feel free to use Venmo, @zoemilwaukee, CashApp $zoemilwaukee or PayPal @zoedelcolle instead of GFM to avoid any fees. If you can't donate, I ask you to consider sharing the link to this page. Sharing counts for so much in itself.

I don't know what else to say but thank you. Thank you. Thank you for reading this. Thank you for caring. Thank you for donating. And thank you for sharing. We are stronger together.

Zoe D