Help Davina, her mom, Isabela, & their cat

Hi y’all,

This is a tough ask as reaching out for help is not something I’m used to doing, although I have been trying to be better about it. To come right out and say it — my family needs help. For those who don’t know, I am currently temporarily living in Michigan with my mom to assist and support her in her recovery from three simultaneous strokes she had over a month ago. I flew out here to be with her in the hospital and assess what was needed moving forward. I then flew back home to Vancouver, WA, packed up most of my stuff, and drove out here over the course of four days. Upon arriving, I brought my mom back to her home in Grand Rapids and we began sorting out doctors, appointments, and medications. Unfortunately, this would all come to a screeching halt as my mom developed symptoms of COVID-19 (which she likely picked up during her several days in the hospital). Within a couple of days of caring for her, I also presented symptoms. We spent a few weeks resting and recovering from COVID and my mom has been attending frequent rehab sessionsnto aid in her stroke recovery.

Throughout all of this, my partner and I have been dealing with needing to take our only cat to the vet ER in respiratory distress and him then being diagnosed with cancer (we’ve since found out that chemo treatment for him would be between $700–$900 per round, depending on how well he does). 

A few short weeks before all this even began, I was let go from my position as Education Coordinator at She Bop and was not able to set up another job before needing to come out to Michigan. The Portland teaching opportunities I had set up before being let go are no longer in the cards while I’m based in Michigan. 

All of this has meant that my partner and I have been spending, out of necessity, a great deal of money we simply don’t have. Between my travel back and forth, helping my mom, an emergency vet visit, essential supplies, future trips to L.A. for school, and food, we have added thousands of dollars of debt to our lives and frankly, we need help. I will likely be with my mom for months and will need to focus on her stroke recovery and finishing my Rabbinic school education so I can hopefully, finally, be ordained in May. There’s no telling what other expenses will come up between now and then. 

It’s been a brutal and devastating month and a half. All of this is why we are asking for your help. I have learned that in times of trouble and stress, rather than turning inward and tightening our bootstraps, we should turn to our communities, to our people, to help lift us up and hold us until we can stand up straight again. 

EDIT: I wanted to add a rough breakdown of where the money will go (either to things purchased or will be purchased) just for transparency because I really value that. All prices are rounded for ease and included past and future stuff)

TOTAL: $14,670