Hi there! I am Terri (Teresa) Thames Johnson, a 65-year-old high school teacher who received troubling news a few years ago. At the age of 61, I was told I had scoliosis.

I had always thought of that as a problem that adolescents might have and honestly didn’t think much more about it.

I was in for quite a journey; I just wouldn’t realize it for a while. What started as a minor-seeming issue that could lead to some back pain eventually led to two major surgeries after over a year of preparation and planning.

Over the last few years, I’ve spent countless hours in physical therapy, hydro-therapy, wearing a hard brace, receiving different treatments—steroid shots in my spine, massage therapy, and different combinations of painkillers and muscle relaxers.

When I was finally confronted with the reality that I would have to have surgery, I was informed that my osteoporosis was severe enough that the hardware wouldn’t hold in my bones. That meant spending almost a year using an anabolic medication every night to prepare to have the surgery, all while dealing with the increasing pain of my worsening condition.

Finally, in September, I was able to have the surgery. By then I had lost my regular insurance and was having to use COBRA. Because of my health, I could not secure a teaching position for the new school year.

There were complications during the procedure, and what was supposed to be two days of surgery—eight to ten hours each day—turned into many more.

By the time I was awake after the last surgery, I didn’t have the blood pressure or the muscle strength to even stand up.

My recovery in the hospital took longer than expected, but I was finally ready to go home on October 1. My son was going to come and help me get adjusted to being home, but he lives in Asheville, NC. As I’m sure you’re aware, Asheville was devastated by Hurricane Helene on September 27-28.

Not only could my son not come to help, but I lost contact with him and my other son for more than a week, unsure if they were even okay.

Thankfully, they both are as well as can be expected, but neither are in a position to help as planned. I’ve been home now for almost three weeks, and my recovery is a slow process. I’d hoped to be able to find some remote work to help ends meet, but that hasn’t been possible.

It’s getting close to the end of the month now. I have expenses I hadn’t anticipated, medical bills to pay, and my rent is coming due. The bank account is low. I’m embarrassed to be in the position to seek help, but I don’t see another alternative. I’ve tried to help others when I could, and I hope that, if you’re able, you can help me out now.

Anything helps. A few dollars or just sharing this with others can help me recover and stay in my home while I do.