Hello!
We are fundraising to get ourselves back on track financially after many medical emergencies both of us have gone through and now we are undergoing a major move!
My lady-husband Elsie is disabled and had major spinal surgery in April of 2023 to help alleviate her spinal bulge which has been causing pain for years and throughout 2022-2023 has started her left leg to go numb.
After this surgery, we thought everything was running smoothly. No feeling returned to her leg, but the pain was relieved. Unfortunately, in February of 2024, Elsie had an intense muscle spasm in her lower back and ended up being bedbound from this spasm. We didn't know what was wrong but we knew that there was an issue with the surgery site. After finally getting an MRI after being on a waitlist for almost a month the doctors saw that there was significant scar tissue growth in the area they performed surgery on 10 months ago. Apparently, only 5% of people who received this type of surgery get these complications. So she was sent back into surgery to remove the scar tissue and get her mobility back. There were 3 months of her being bed-bound, constantly going back and forth to doctor visits, and also post-surgery complications of spinal leaks. I do not drive, so it was many Lyft rides from our home in Santa Cruz to her hospital in San Jose. Luckily we had friends and family to sometimes drive and help out, but a majority of the time we were paying for these emergency travels.
Simultaneously as this was happening in April, I started experiencing terrible stomach and pelvic pain. I was diagnosed with Diverticulitis after receiving COVID for the first time in 2022 (due to the lack of safety protocols at work and the urgency to return to work in person) and later found out my gut health continues to be affected by my bout of COVID where it's not like regular diverticulitis. The flares can be more intense, longer lasting, and more damaging to my intestines. So I was worried it was that, but again, at this point, I was in the dark about what it could be.
I had to go to urgent care several times with no help or alleviation of the pain I was experiencing. There were so many theories of what was wrong, a urine infection but no infection was detected, a vaginal infection but again no infection was detected a diverticulitis flare, but nothing helped. I was on a liquid diet for about 2 1/2 months and lost a significant amount of weight that was concerning to everyone.
I was on 8 different antibiotics that didn't help me. It was only after the 5th urgent care visit that a doctor took me seriously enough to do a major check on me. I was given CAT Scan along with blood work instead of constantly just peeing in cups and having many invasive vaginal exams that were showing up as nothing wrong. In this CAT Scan they found the issue. I had many tears and fistulas around my sigmoid colon that were communicating with my bladder and causing intense pain and discomfort. I was told that if I continued antibiotics the infection might clear up and they would then need to do surgery. So I was expected to continue my liquid diet until June, but my body had other plans. Eventually, I couldn't even keep liquids down and was admitted to the emergency room in mid-May. The fistula developed an abscess that was growing and threatening to pop. The doctors wanted to drain this abscess as soon as possible but couldn't safely do it so I had to be admitted.
I stayed at the hospital for 2 weeks on IV antibiotics trying to get rid of this abscess. I ended up needing emergency surgery to remove my sigmoid colon because at this point, it was damaged beyond repair and the abscess was not growing anymore, nor shrinking, so instead of continuing antibiotics, they wanted to remove everything. This was so I could eat solid food again and utilize the bathroom without any more pain or discomfort. There were many scares of how this surgery could have turned out like living with a colonoscopy bag, needing to go back for a 2nd surgery, and of course, dying because operating with an active infection is extremely risky. Luckily, everything worked out and the surgery was a success.
My recovery is still ongoing, but because of the constant emergency room visits and my long hospital stay, I have a significant amount of medical debt at the moment which is the majority of this ask.
Elsie and I are also in a big transition period, we just got approved for an apartment up in Portland, Oregon, and we need to move by September 1st. So, with all of these expenses coming up with moving, alleviating some of this medical emergency debt we have would be so helpful to us, to have a fresh start when we do this big move this September.
So many mentors and friends recommended me to make a GoFundMe to help us have a more stable situation after struggling with such an intense start to our year, we are hoping to end it better.
Your help directly helps Elsie and me pay off our medical debts, credit card debt due to the constant Lyft travel and co-pays for these urgent care visits and medication costs, and provides us a sense of safety and care rather than stuck in a state of struggle and survival. We are hoping to reach $2,000 before our move to alleviate our credit card debt and anything more would directly go towards this daunting medical debt.
$1,000- Lyft Emergency Rides (Apart of Credit Card Debt)
$1,000- Elsie and Nicky's Medication Debt/ numerous urgent care co-pays (Apart of Credit Card Debt)
$6,000- Nicky's Emergency Stay/ Surgery Medical Bill
Thank you so much for reading and I hope you'll be able to help us reach a state of relief and safety
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Why GoFundMe Articles and URLs Appear on Our Website?
Why GoFundMe Articles and URLs Appear on Our Website and How We Support Other GoFundMe Campaigns
At LFEBridge Foundation, we are dedicated to creating a platform where individuals and organizations can maximize their fundraising efforts. As part of our commitment to supporting a wide range of causes, we incorporate articles and URLs from GoFundMe into our website. Here’s why you might see GoFundMe content on our site, how it benefits the fundraising community, and our relationship with GoFundMe:
1. Amplifying Reach for Fundraising Campaigns
Increased Visibility: By featuring GoFundMe articles and URLs on our platform, we help increase the visibility of various fundraising campaigns. This additional exposure can attract more donors and supporters, helping campaigns achieve their goals more quickly.
Cross-Promotional Opportunities: Highlighting campaigns from GoFundMe allows us to support a broader spectrum of causes and connect with a wider audience. This cross-promotion benefits both the campaign organizers and potential donors looking for causes to support.
2. Supporting Campaign Growth
Advertising and Promotion: We understand the importance of visibility in successful fundraising. By showcasing GoFundMe campaigns, we provide an advertising platform that helps these campaigns reach potential donors who might not have discovered them otherwise.
Strategic Partnerships: Collaborating with GoFundMe and featuring their campaigns on our site strengthens the fundraising ecosystem, ensuring that worthwhile causes receive the attention and support they deserve.
3. Expanding Donor Networks
Broader Donor Base: Featuring a variety of campaigns from different platforms helps diversify and expand the donor base. This means more people can learn about and contribute to a variety of causes, ultimately driving higher engagement and donations.
Enhanced Outreach: By integrating GoFundMe content, we help campaigns tap into new networks and communities, broadening their reach and potential impact.
How We Help Other GoFundMe Campaigns Grow
1. Featured Campaigns Section
Highlighting Noteworthy Campaigns: We have a dedicated section on our website where we feature noteworthy GoFundMe campaigns. This not only gives these campaigns a spotlight but also encourages visitors to explore and contribute to them.
Rotating Features: To ensure a diverse range of campaigns get visibility, we regularly rotate the featured campaigns. This continuous update keeps the content fresh and engaging for our audience.
2. Social Media Promotion
Sharing Across Platforms: We share selected GoFundMe campaigns on our social media channels to reach a broader audience. Our followers, in turn, can share these posts, amplifying the reach even further.
Engagement Strategies: Utilizing effective engagement strategies, such as storytelling and compelling visuals, we enhance the appeal of these campaigns, driving more traffic and donations.
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Campaign Highlights: Our email newsletters often include highlights of impactful GoFundMe campaigns. By doing so, we bring these causes directly to the inboxes of our subscribers, encouraging more people to get involved and donate.
Donor Updates: We keep our donors informed about the progress and success of the campaigns they have supported, fostering a sense of community and continued engagement.
LFEBridge Foundation's Independence
It’s important to clarify that LFEBridge Foundation is an independent entity and is not part of or affiliated with GoFundMe. While we feature and support GoFundMe campaigns on our site, we operate as a separate foundation dedicated to collecting donations for various causes, similar to GoFundMe. Many of these causes are displayed on our website to provide donors with a wide range of options to support.
Conclusion
By featuring GoFundMe articles and URLs on our website, LFEBridge Foundation supports a wide array of fundraising campaigns, helping them gain the visibility and donations they need to succeed. Through our promotional efforts and strategic partnerships, we aim to create a robust and supportive environment for all fundraising initiatives.
For more information on how we support fundraising campaigns or to explore featured campaigns, visit https://LFEBridge.com or contact us at support@lfebridge.com.
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