Support Bridgette's Need: Financial Breakthrough

Where do I begin and what a difficult year it has been for me......

My name is Dr. Bridgette Bienville and let me start by saying that it’s very disheartening for me to write this post and having to start a GoFundMe page. This past year has been very, very, very tough for me and I am thankful for my village of people who constantly check on me, pray for me and have been keeping me encouraged along the way. I am currently without a job, and I have been looking for one since September 2023. I resigned from my last job due to alarming things I was experiencing on my job when I came back from recovering from my cancer surgery that I had in December 2022. I prayed to God before I resigned, and God has been with me every step of the way since then with numerous testimonies. Since that time, I had to move out of my place in Louisiana and back home to Atlanta and the devil have been riding my back really hard ever since to block God’s blessings but I’m still STANDING.

I’ll share with you what all occurred in 2024 which led me to create my GoFundMe page. I hope that my story will help someone who may be having a difficult time mentally, physically and emotionally with trying to navigate life, overcome barriers, and weathering the storms that come their way. My prayer is that anyone who is experiencing difficulties with getting a job and especially with my credentials, that your prayers are ANSWERED. You are NOT alone!

I don’t look like what I’ve been through but let’s begin.............

My year started off in January 2024 with me stepping on a rock in which I badly sprained my ankle and had to wear a boot for 2 months. In May 2024, I had to start doing Uber Eats and I am currently still doing that all while weathering the heat, cold and rain. Just to give you a breakdown, I have been working everyday 12 hours a day to make ends meet with sometimes little sleep. I am averaging between $120- $150 dollars a day working 12 hours a day. I have taken off about 14 days in the entire 9 months I have been doing this. So far today, I have done 3,746 trips which is unheard of in a short period of time, but I have been GRINDING to SURVIVE. What is supposed to be a supplemental income/part-time job for most people, I have turned it into a full-time job. During this time, I have also sacrificed hours I needed to work doing Uber Eats to do countless interviews, even second and third round interviews, but yet no job offers. I’ll come back to the “no job offers” part later in my post.

In August 2024, I experienced a terrible accident where my tire on the driver side rolled off of my car. Luckily, because I was in the right lane, I was able to immediately pull over into a grassy area on the right side of the street. I was able to walk away without a scratch, but my car was damaged on the driver side. GOD was truly with me and saved me with his grace and mercy because I had literally just gotten off the interstate and it probably would have been worse. I had allowed two family members to change my brake pads because I couldn’t afford to get it fixed at the dealership. As a result, they didn’t tighten the Lugnuts all the way when they put my tire back on. Fortunately, I was able to get my car fixed.

A few weeks later in August of 2024, I was delivering food to a customer and a lady hit my car on the passenger side by squeezing her SUV through a narrow space.

In October 2024, I received the devastating news that I had lost my dad, and I was truly heartbroken. I was prepared for his final days but it’s never easy losing a parent.

If that wasn’t enough, in the same week after I lost my dad, my car was TOTALED! All, I could say was devil I REBUKE you in the name of Jesus! Unfortunately, I had to get a rental car which was covered in the first 30 days. In November, I had to start paying and I have been paying on a daily basis due to no savings account and it’s extremely hard to keep that up.

On December 28, 2024, my year ended with me getting arrested for the first time in my entire life. I was pulled over by a police officer who gave me a ticket for blinding him with my bright lights which I have never heard of. I apologized to the officer and stated I couldn’t see because of the fog and rain but that I would be more aware to use my dim lights. In the process of him running my license, I learned that my license had been suspended. The officer didn’t even give me the option to let someone come and get me but proceeded to take me to jail. I know people who have gotten pulled over for a suspended license they didn’t know about and were allowed to let someone pick them up and go home without an arrest. I cried while being arrested, it was unfair and a very traumatic experience for me. I had to spend 12 hours in a holding cell with other women before I posted bail. What was disheartening was that I had to tell my mom that I was arrested. But God was with me through it all, and he said it’s already done, and those charges will be dismissed.

I say all of this to say that I have been carrying some HEAVY burdens over this past year to the point that I feel like I’m losing my mind at times. My hands hurt every morning, are stiff and I have calluses on my hands from driving so much. I don’t have the mental sanity or capacity to keep going. I am so overwhelmed with LIFE, stressed out and I’m mentally and physically exhausted. You don’t ever know what demons' people are battling silently because people are out here STRUGGLING and I’m one of them. I have worn my body out both mentally and physically doing Uber Eats. Even with everything I have experienced in 2024, I still smiled and tried to find joy in my life and tried to enjoy life as best I could for my peace and mental sanity.

I know that I should be in a better position with having a job than where I’m at now with no job offers. The obstacle for me has been companies using the term “overqualified”, or they are “intimidated” or trying to “low ball” me salary wise which hinders me from getting a job. They also see my resume and credentials (MD, MPH) and tell me how impressive it is but yet don’t offer me a job. And honestly, I have NEVER made a 6-figure salary with my credentials and that is truly SHOCKING. I have not been happy with my life for a very long time because of these obstacles.

I think the behavior of company practices need to change because no matter what credentials or degrees you have, you still need a job. I have been experiencing this most of my life after I decided I didn’t want to do residency anymore in 2005. I went back to school and obtained my Master's in Public Health degree to use with my Doctor of Medicine degree because my interests shifted towards helping patients on the front end have access to healthcare and decreasing those social barriers that hinders them from receiving the care they need. I experienced obstacles along the way by not having a car when I started school to not knowing if I could even finish school due to maxing out on my student loans. it was nothing but God’s grace that helped me to finish school and graduate with a 4.0 GPA. Upon obtaining my MPH degree, I thought it would be easier for me to get a job but reality set in really quickly. I did get a few jobs here and there but not my career or dream job. I have honestly been looking for jobs most of my life than actually working on a job. What I have learned is that the more degrees you have, the harder it is for you to get a job. Companies simply don’t value these things anymore despite what skills/experience you bring to the table.

In the end, I desperately need a financial breakthrough. Not only am I without a job, I am also without a car. My expenses are enormous and even with doing Uber Eats, I am not able to meet all of my financial obligations. I am drowning in debt with my student loans totaling over $300,000 dollars in addition to other debt that I have. Your donations will help me to pay for my essential bills (phone, items in my storage units, getting another car, etc.) that I can’t even pay for anymore. I really don’t like asking for help but i know that on the other side of fear is help. I hope that my story inspires you and touches you to leave a kind donation and that you are BLESSED ABUNDANTLY!

With Love,

Dr. Bridgette Bienville