My May and June mortgage is unpaid. July is now due. I am not writing this because I gave up. I am writing this because I have done everything right and the ground still fell out from under me.

I am self-employed with two self-funded master's degrees and over 20 years of hard-won experience. I am embarrassed to ask for help like this.

COVID wiped out my retirement and savings. I did not quit. I rebuilt slowly, got current on my mortgage, and kept going. Then the tech layoffs swept through my industry and took my income with them. Five months later I am out of runway and running out of time.

What most people do not know is how physically brutal this fight has become.

I had back surgery before 40. In the years since I have fallen four times, suffering three broken bones and a serious knee injury. When I had insurance I got the care I needed. Then COVID forced me to cancel my coverage. I have not been able to afford it since.

Two injuries went completely untreated:

- A broken left elbow that never had surgery, now painful with visible muscle atrophy

- A right wrist defect with restricted movement and zero grip strength

Two months ago I injured my right knee in another fall. It is still swollen. Sudden movements stop me cold.

Underlying all of this is autoimmune disease. Diagnosed with Celiac two years ago, it has since progressed to Rheumatoid Arthritis. Without treatment, my body is working against me at the same time I am fighting hardest to move forward.

Both arms are severely compromised. The only thing I can still do without pain is sit at a computer and work. And I am fighting every single day to find that work.

I am not asking for a handout. I am asking for a bridge.

I am actively working to build a consulting pipeline. But consulting means that even after a contract is signed, it is typically 60 or more days before the first payment arrives. I have faith that the work is coming. The money is not here yet. And the mortgage cannot wait.

My goal covers:

1. Mortgage arrears to keep a roof over my head
2. Basic living expenses while I continue my job search
3. Health insurance so I can finally treat injuries I have been forced to ignore

"My God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19

I have held onto that promise through every hard season. This one is the hardest.

I have spent 20 years being the person who figures it out. I will figure this out too. I just need a few more months to get there.

If you have ever been one crisis away from losing everything, you know exactly where I am standing.

Every dollar helps. Sharing this campaign may help even more.

When I am back on my feet I will pay this forward to someone standing where I am today. That is not a figure of speech. That is a promise.

Thank you for reading. Thank you for caring.