Help Danyella Renae: She would do it for you.

I'm Kristine Levine, and Danyella Renae is my dear friend who had surgery yesterday.

The truth is, I am kinda making her do this. Not in a forcing her kinda way, but in same way my friend Kay made me face the facts when I had cancer. I took a note from Kay and I just had a real frank talk with her about the realities of her situation and what her needs are. She has no choice. She has to feed her family and keep the lights on, she has busted her ass for a lot of other people and has earned a breather. Please help me give her a few weeks to not worry about everything.

She's an Indigenous/Mexican American woman, a single mom to her son and a caregiver to her Nana. She has a part-time job that is 1) already really difficult for her because of her health issues (which she describes herself below) and 2) she will not be able to do now for 6 to 8 weeks while she heals from this surgery.

Danyella is one of the kindest, most generous people I've ever met. Despite all of her health issues and navigating our criminal (yes it's criminal) medical "system," she's been dilligent in taking care of herself and her family. And not only that, (As if that wasn't enough, just being sick is a full-time job all on its own) but I've seen her give.

I've seen her up all night knitting beanies for ICU babies. When I needed it, she shared the food with me that she got from the food bank. She needed her food but she still shared it with me. ME. I'm a middle-aged white lady who works in media but guess what? When I first came to the South West 7 years ago, I had no money, I had no food, and she was helping me.

If she's got a roof over her and her son's head, she still wants to help those who have less. I've often told her, "Please remember, Life is like the airplane safety video! You have to put the oxygen on your own face first..." She is getting better about that I think. But there's no stopping her from giving of her time and energy. She doesn't have money, but she will make something for you, she will keep you warm, she will share the food in her cupboard. I wanted to do this for her because she would do it for me, she would do it for you.

I know that if YOU (yes YOU) needed something, she would help you. She doesn't have to know you, she's not asking for something in return she just feels that we have to stick together because we're all we got.

I asked her to write something for this GFM just to explain the absolute nightmare she's endured just to get to this day where she finally had this surgery. It will make you cringe. If you can relate at all, if you can afford any amount, if you can share it, please do that. And if you can't do those things, then please remember to keep us poors in your thoughts when you vote in November.

If I had money myself, I would dump it all out on her kitchen table like she's George Bailey. I often imagine what Danyella could accomplish if she just had a level playing field. If she had better healthcare, if she had an education, housing help, transportation help... she's already done so much with just her heart and hands, imagine what she could do with money too. It's people like her who change the world.

Thank you for your consideration.

Kristine

PS:

She finally got her hysterectomy yesterday, I'd love nothing more than to give her some good news today.

I wish I had time here to fully explain the level of dismissal and condescension I've personally witnessed her endure. I mean, I'm used to being treated like trash, being poor and a woman, but what she's going through even as I write this, and has gone through the past 10 years is both jaw-dropping and infuriating. One of these diagnoses would be enough to make anyone miserable, but she keeps fighting. She should have been given a hysterectomy within a year of her first adenomyosis diagnosis but she was forced to wait 10 long years.

She's just been through the wringer.

With my nagging and encouragement, she describes her most recent struggles here, emphasis is mine:

Hello, my name is Danyella, and I am seeking help for a life-changing medical procedure. After over a decade of battling chronic pain, illnesses, and begging in vain for help from my various health care providers, I am FINALLY getting a hysterectomy.

The Chronic Illnesses I’ve endured for over a decade include:

These conditions have taken a significant toll on my physical and mental well-being.

The Journey to a Hysterectomy: My reproductive system has been a source of constant agony. After numerous doctor visits, tests, and treatments, I was finally diagnosed with retroverted uterus, oddly shaped ovaries, adenomyosis, and endometriosis.

Despite the clear evidence of my pain, I was often dismissed, told I was exaggerating, accused of drug-seeking behavior, or given bad advice (one doctor refused my request for a hysterectomy because, “…what if you meet a man who really wants kids? And you couldn’t give them to him because you couldn’t cope with a little pain?” I wish I was making this up).

It took years of advocating for myself to finally get a doctor who understood my struggles and recommended a hysterectomy as a potential solution. Great story if it ends there, but then came…

The Battle with Insurance: After getting the referral and approval from the surgeon, my insurance decided to deny the request. Thankfully, my new doctors fought for me and did a peer-to-peer review with the medical director of my insurance company. They highlighted how much I had already tried and how compliant I had been, and finally, the insurance approved it. And yet there were still more hoops to jump through...

The FMLA Struggle: The next hurdle was getting approval for FMLA from my job. I had been working there since October 2022 and was recently moved to part-time due to my health issues. I submitted the FMLA request with my doctor's note, but they immediately denied it, stating that I needed to have worked there for over a year and be a full-time employee. I refused to give up and ended up getting it approved for 6-8 weeks after the surgery…which is FINALLY scheduled for March 24! However, this means I won't have a paycheck for two months.

The money raised through this GoFundMe campaign will be used for the following purposes:

I am not asking for help lightly. I have been through a lot, and this surgery is a chance to finally get some relief from the constant pain and suffering I have endured. I am grateful for any support you can offer, whether it's a donation or a kind word.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. Please help me if you can. I will be providing updates throughout my hospital stay and recovery.

With love and gratitude,

Danyella