Hi, my name is Tiarra, and asking for help does not come easily to me. I’ve always tried to push through, figure things out on my own, and keep going for my kids; but at this point, doing everything alone is no longer working.

I was managing life until August 2024, when everything changed.

That month, I became severely ill and was hospitalized for 13 days, a stay that nearly cost me my life. During that hospitalization, I required two iron infusions and a blood transfusion, and I was discharged with a kidney stent still in place. Just one week later, I returned to school while that stent was still inside my body, because stopping didn’t feel like an option.

The stent wasn’t removed until September 5th, and even then, I immediately returned to work because I was on the brink of losing my housing. I had no safety net. No one stepped in to make sure my children and I were okay.

By December, we became homeless.

That experience was deeply traumatic. I stayed with someone I believed was a friend, but the situation quickly became unstable and emotionally harmful. Even after moving again, I remained unstable because that person interfered with my mail and important documents, which disrupted my ability to manage housing, benefits, and medical care. By the time I secured another place, I was already financially and emotionally depleted. The home we are currently in is technically livable, but it is not a healthy or stable environment for someone dealing with complex medical conditions, nor is it where I want my children to remain long term. Much of my income continues to go toward housing situations that don’t truly support our safety or my health.

At the same time, my health has continued to decline.

I live with osteoarthritis, degenerative disc disease, endometriosis, lupus, and a connective tissue disorder, and I had a right SI joint fusion in 2023. I was also diagnosed with gastroparesis within the last few months, a condition where the stomach does not empty properly, making digestion slow and unpredictable. This affects what I can eat and how I manage my nutrition every day. Hematology wants me tested further for sickle cell trait, as my body produces a higher percentage than most people, and I also need testing (biopsy) for Sjögren’s syndrome per my rheumatologist. Keeping up with all these appointments while working has become overwhelming.

My gastrointestinal issues, which could be related to my endometriosis, autoimmune conditions, or gastroparesis, have caused urinary incontinence, and I now take medication to manage bladder spasms. Some days, it feels like I’m losing control of my own body, and I’m determined to take back that control before it’s too late. Unfortunately, recent stress (including workplace-related stress) has significantly impacted my health, and I’ve had to accept that my income alone cannot cover all of my medical and living needs right now.

I’ve also faced frustration and exhaustion navigating the medical system. My nephrologist eventually referred me elsewhere and left me waiting weeks for critical lab results. When I finally saw hematology and the sickle cell clinic, my symptoms were largely overlooked without thorough discussion because I didn’t have full blown sickle cell. I’ve spent countless hours attending appointments that felt unproductive, exhausting, and discouraging. This summer will mark two years since the medical crisis that changed everything about my life and honestly I’m still trying to understand why it happened and why my body continues to struggle.

I also would like to travel to Ohio for specialized medical care, as I’ve exhausted most hospital systems here in Michigan. My life is on the line, and I need doctors who will take my condition seriously. That travel and ongoing care are not something I can manage alone.

On top of my own health challenges, I am caring for my children, who face medical struggles of their own. My son has been in and out of the hospital, and my daughter is asthmatic. Managing their care while trying to survive and heal myself has made it clear that I can’t do this alone. That’s why I’m putting pride aside and asking for help..because asking doesn’t mean I’m weak, it means I’m doing everything I can to protect my children and myself.

I also don’t receive disability. After becoming homeless, I made the difficult choice to work because waiting for disability would have left me and my kids in an even worse situation. When my application was reviewed, it was denied simply because I was working without fully considering my medical records. This is why support right now is so critical.

This fundraiser would help with:

    •    Stable, healthier housing

    •    Medical travel (including Ohio)

    •    Transportation to appointments

    •    Meals and low‑fat, low‑fiber meal prep

    •    Medical expenses and medications

    •    Clothing, as I’ve lost significant weight

    •    Basic stability while I focus on healing

Even beyond financial help, support can also look like checking in, helping with meals, offering a ride, or simply standing with us during this time.

I am not giving up but I can’t keep doing this alone. Trying to stay strong without support is no longer enough, and asking for help is how I keep going for myself and my children.

Thank you for reading, sharing, supporting, and believing me. Every bit of kindness makes a real difference in our lives.