TLDR: I recently found out I have a benign tumor in my right knee that needs surgery to remove (…lol no yeah what???? I also cannot believe). I’ve been unemployed for almost a year, taking babysitting gigs for money and I’ve had to abruptly stop babysitting due to the pain and swelling, so I’m reaching out to my community to help me pay for rent, bills, groceries, and surgery related costs for the next few months as I deal with this unexpected health issue. I am deeply appreciative of any amount you can give and if you’re unable to help financially, I’m also seeking TV, movie, and book recommendations since I’m pretty much stuck at home for the time being.

Longer story:

On March 7th, I was diagnosed with a giant cell tumor (don’t worry, it’s benign!) in my right knee and I’ll need surgery as soon as possible to remove the tumor. I had been experiencing pain for several weeks thinking it was just a sprain before going into urgent care. After getting an X-ray at urgent care, I was quickly referred to an orthopedic doctor and further testing which confirmed the tumor. The whole process from urgent care to diagnosis was only 8 days (my birthday and my partner’s birthday being two of those days but best believe we found ways to celebrate us despite it all), so everything has happened super super quickly.

I honestly waited too long to go to the doctor because I have been unemployed for almost a year, only babysitting for money, and I was worried they would tell me I would have to stay off my feet (and thus cut off my income). Up until recently I’ve been able to walk, take stairs, and do other low impact activities but this past Wednesday, March 12th, the pain grew exponentially, and my knee became really swollen. I went to the ER the next day where I got crutches and stronger pain meds and since then I’ve been feeling a lot better but unable to do most things on my own. I did take a walk today (March 18th) and I was able to go halfway down the block before I had to turn around (pictured above). At this point, my partner, Vann, has been my virtually full time caretaker (which they have been slaying <3) since my mobility has decreased so much. So now, I’m a bit stuck waiting for surgery and I’m not able to do as much prep as I was hoping to before surgery.

I have an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon on March 25th to discuss next steps and schedule the surgery, but until then, I’m stuck in limbo because I don’t have a surgery date or a good idea of the recovery timeline. From what I’ve learned online, surgery recovery can take 3-6 months but ultimately it depends on different factors such as the size of the tumor and how invasive the surgery has to be. I also don’t know yet how much this surgery will cost. I’ll keep this page updated with timelines as I know more.

The money I’m requesting would be to pay for rent, bills, groceries/food as well as medical bills and other costs related to surgery prep and recovery for the next few months. I know things are tight for a lot of people now and we’re seeing lots of cuts to social services and support, so I really truly appreciate any donations you’re able to give! Thank you thank you thank you for reading this and showing support! I am taking this all in stride, if I do say so myself (big shoutout to my therapist who I haven’t seen in 6 months but whose wisdom has sustained me through these trying times), but obviously this has turned my world around so I would also love any recommendations for how to pass the time as I recover: TV shows, movies, books, knitting/crochet patterns, art books, sudoku/word puzzle books, anything you think would brighten up my day is welcomed :)