Firstly, I want to say thank you. You have taken a moment to learn about me and the trials I've been going through for a year and a half now. My name is Nicole Popik, more commonly known as Niki. I am a 39 year old mother of two boys and a new nurse. I am very sick and have no income. I stress the word "new" because like most professions, you have to earn your up through performance and financially a well. I entered nursing later in life after a bout of illness that made me realize some shortfalls in our current healthcare system. Though these deficits may be defined differently by each person’s experience, the most impacting was the lack of like basic human compassion that was recurrent, or in some cases, completely absent. Even though it was not all of the healthcare staff, when already feeling down , it didn't take much to add to the already existing mental and physical stress that comes with being sick. These observations, paired with personal reasons, led me to pursue this career. I believed that if I combined my experiences with an education, I could offer knowledge with a gentleness that as people, we so desperately need when we are at our most vulnerable. Going back to school with a family challenged the fine balance of time, the roles that defined me, and of course, finances. After what seemed like an eternity, I completed my schooling and was able to secure a job. My family and I were finally settling into the life changes and hours of a shift worker and I was just starting to gain confidence in this career. After a very long road, I finally felt like my feet were firmly planted on the ground and that I was fulfilling the role I worked so hard at to attain. Then in September 2014, the floor fell away from under me.Initially, my symptoms were nondescript. I felt as though I had picked up some type of flu. However, my symptoms quickly escalated affecting most of my body systems; ranging from extreme pain and fatigue to indescribable swelling, headaches, and an unprovoked extremely high heart rate, to name a few. These symptoms alone affirmed this was beyond anything I had ever dealt with; everything together was more than I was able to manage and I soon found myself in the hospital. Since that time, this illness has relentlessly progressed rendering me incapable of being who I am in every aspect of my life. In most cases I am only an observer of my own life where I was once an active participant. It has stolen who I am – I am a mere shell of who I once was and what I was once able to do. And this is what has brought me here. I have undergone numerous tests, procedures, surgery, and even more tests. The several specialists in various domains I’ve seen have undeniably determined that something is creating havoc in my body, but I have repeatedly been told that they cannot identify the source, let alone effectively manage all of my symptoms, leaving me in constant physical distress – never a break. While I wait for the next appointment, the next test, the next obscure procedure, I continue to grow increasingly worse with each day that passes. What I am doing is not living – I merely exist. This illness has taken my life. I am unable to work at a job I love, and most impacting to me, is that it has taken away my ability to actively participate in the lives of my two children. Up until I became ill, I was a constant participant in anything and everything my kids have done – their biggest, most enthusiastic supporter! Though we still have special moments we share, and as understanding as these two beautiful kids attempt to be in their innocence, this illness has robbed them of their mom and me of too much priceless time with them – we will never get that back.I am asking for your help to have the opportunity to live again; to move on from here and become the nurse I worked so hard for, to fulfill all of the roles life has granted me, most importantly, to resume being the mom I was entrusted to be. I am asking for your help so that I can go to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. with the intent to find a diagnosis, be treated, and maybe even cured. Perhaps a diagnosis for me, may lead to insight into others that may be suffering from similar symptoms. The sooner I can leave, the higher the chance I will survive this. I know this is my only opportunity to possibly get better or I will succumb to this. My expenses will include the cost of any and all medical assessments, consults, treatments, procedures, medications, equipment, and supplies needed. It also includes travel, accommodations, and food; a tremendous financial burden and I am deeply sorry I even have to ask for help with this. Due to my current status of “diagnosis unknown”, I cannot be guaranteed as to my length of stay, so this amount that I need covers only the initial and most basic expenses. I cannot express the urgency enough. Though I barely “got my feet wet” in my career, I love my job and know I was born to do it. I believe I was intended to help people at their most vulnerable times in their lives; assist them through a vast expanse of transitions that can and do occur. I assist people back to well-being; just as I am asking you now to assist me back to well-being so that I can move on to pay it forward. I long for the opportunity to spend the rest of my life trying to return the favor, spend the rest of my life saying “thank you”; not taking a moment for granted. Having the need to take this avenue in my life has been both overwhelming and humbling. I am overwhelmed because as someone who has always found a way to make it through hard times, it’s difficult to ask for help. I am genuinely humbled by those who come forward to offer help, whether it is financial, to be a pillar of support, or graciously offer their time and energy. May God bless you; you are contributing to save my life! There is not a word or phrase that could ever express my gratitude for your kindness and generosity. So, here I am, a: mom, sister, daughter, aunt, niece, granddaughter, daughter-in-law, sister-in-law, and nurse who is graciously asking for your help so that I can regain my life and fulfill these roles to the best of my ability.I cannot begin to express how much I need your help. Without getting further medical expertise and resources, I will not get a diagnosis. Without a diagnosis, I will not survive. Please help me. From the bottom of my heart I thank you.
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