Hello friends and family.
You may or may not know that 43 years ago, when I was just 13, I broke my back and underwent two major surgeries. By the time I was 22, I had nine-inch rods placed in my spine to stabilize me. For decades, those rods have held me up, but now the parts of my spine that have been taking the brunt are starting to suffer.
I'm facing arthritis in my neck and need a one-level fusion surgery on November 11th.
My orthopedic surgeon assures me that returning to work will be no problem once I heal, and I am genuinely excited to get back to doing what I love. However, the reality is I'll need to be completely off work for two months to recover. Initially, I was going to postpone the surgery until January and work really hard to put enough money away, but the pain is too great and I cannot continue living this way. It is impacting every area of my life. I'm committed to working right up until the day before surgery to support myself, but the lost income and medical costs during that recovery window are more than I can cover alone.
I've always prided myself on standing on my own two feet, but right now, I need my community's help to get through this. Any support you can offer—whether it's sharing this, a prayer, or a contribution—would mean the world to me. Thank you for holding space for me and helping me get back on my feet.
In Gratitude,
Angela Zahurones
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