Hello everyone! I want to start by saying thank you so much for your support, both now and during my previous jaw surgery in June 2022. Your generosity and support truly helped me through one of the hardest times in my life, and my gratitude remains beyond words.

For those not familiar with my story - in June 2022, I fainted at City Park in Denver and fell directly onto my jaw, resulting in four complex fractures. Later blood tests with my primary care provider confirmed what I’d suspected from family history - I have a mild genetic blood disorder called Beta-Thalassemia which affects hemoglobin production, oxygen transfer in cells, and can cause light-headedness or fainting.

That morning while playing handball in the park, I remember feeling faint and trying to take safe precautions - I sat down, ate food, drank water, and promised myself I wouldn’t get up until I felt better. Unfortunately, that’s the last thing I remember. My ER surgeon later explained that when the body senses it’s about to lose consciousness, it often tries to “fight it,” which may have caused me to stand and walk without realizing it, leading to me fainting and falling on concrete.

The healing process was long and a level of pain I had not previously experienced. My jaw was wired with elastic bands for eight weeks, and I was on a liquid-only diet for six weeks. Thankfully, everything healed as expected, and I was eventually able to return to normal life, although now having several thousand dollars of medical debt.

Last month, I began noticing sensitivity and swelling on the right side of my jaw. An oral surgeon saw that one of the three metal plates from my surgery had started to separate, which was causing pain and risk of infection. I already experienced one infection around that time, and the plate would have to be removed to prevent further complications. That second jaw surgery took place on Tuesday, November 4, and thankfully, it was a smooth and successful operation. I’m now recovering on a soft-food diet and feeling much less pain than I did after the first operation. I’m incredibly grateful to my medical team for catching the issue early and being able to solve the issue quickly.

I’m creating this GoFundMe because while the surgery itself went smoothly, the medical bills unfortunately are not as easy. During my previous GoFundMe, all of your much appreciated support helped me afford rent, utilities, and groceries during the eight weeks I was unable to work. None of those funds went toward the hospital or surgical bills, which I’ve been diligently paying off monthly for the past three years and am still working to pay off.

Now, with this second unexpected surgery, I’ve added several thousand more dollars to that medical debt. I’m assessing options to navigate and budget for this sudden financial burden, but this new surgery bill definitely has me worried and seeking support.

Any support you can offer would mean the world to me. Even small contributions help to navigate this worrisome medical bill more than you can imagine. I’m so grateful to my friends, family, and loved ones who have offered reassurance, emotional support, and now financial help during another stressful recovery. I’ll be sending personal thank-you notes to everyone, and I’m also thinking about sharing an early peek at some of my future poetry or writing projects as a way to show my appreciation and gratitude!

Thank you all again for your genuine care, kindness, and support! I’m so thankful this surgery went smoothly and am feeling hopeful this will be the end of my jaw-related operations.