Gnagna’s Fibroid & Uterine Surgery Fund

Hello friends,

This is truly hard for me to do, it’s not easy to solicit people for money, especially when it’s rooted in my health. I have a difficult time being vulnerable outside of my close friend group and especially on the internet, and asking for help but..

For the past few years I've been silently battling fibroids (benign tumors in and on my uterus), and in the last 6 months they have become unmanageable. I have 5 major fibroids in my uterus that range in size from grapefruits & oranges to strawberries - keep in mind a uterus is supposed to be the size of a fist. Living with these fibroids has taken a toll on every aspect of my life – physically, emotionally, socially, and now financially.

Fibroid symptoms can be very severe depending on size, and in my case they are. I suffer from hemorrhage like bleeding for sometimes several weeks at a time. As a result of the severe loss of blood, I’ve developed anemia, as well as an iron and Vitamin D deficiency - it has caused severe chronic fatigue, muscle aches, nausea, among many other physical and emotional symptoms. Due to the size of my fibroids, my uterus has become enlarged and distorted. My only option is an open myomectomy procedure which is basically a C-Section surgery with a C-Section like recovery. My surgeon informed me that if I were to not have this surgery soon, and allow my fibroids to grow any larger and distort my uterus any further, my only remaining option would be to have a full hysterectomy (removing my uterus entirely). The thought of this is incredibly terrifying and would alter the entire course of my life.

At this point, I have no other option but to proceed with surgery this September, and even though a portion of my medical expenses will be covered, any medical care in the U.S. is still astronomically expensive. All my visits, every test, every prescription adds up. Even getting to the surgery feels like a daunting mountain I have to climb: Exams, Blood work, X-Rays, Ultrasounds, MRIs, pre-op appointments, having the surgery, an overnight hospital stay, and then post-op appointments. All of this is a lot and I'm feeling incredibly overwhelmed.

As much as I never wanted to be in this position, it feels like GoFund is my best option, and so I’m turning to friends, family, and acquaintances for support. These funds will help cover my medical bills. I truly have tremendous friends who have stepped up and offered to bring me groceries or make the pre-made meals I’ll prepare in advance of my surgery, so medical costs are all I’ll need help with.

I can’t express enough my appreciation and gratitude for those that can contribute - when I say you’re saving my life I’m unfortunately not exaggerating. Please share this post and help amplify it if you can. So many women suffer with this condition silently and are forced into medical decisions that could be avoided with the right care. I’ll keep everyone updated as much as I can. Thank you for taking the time to read.