Unlike Michael Jackson's famous song, Annie was not struck down by a smooth criminal. She truly has been beaten down by the medical system.

The past three years have been a medical nightmare for her. In late 2022, she was admitted for what was thought to be a diverticulitis flare up. The doctors then suspected it was a gallbladder issue and by early January 2023, she was rushed to emergency surgery to remove her gall bladder. This surgery didn't alleviate her symptoms. She then went to the ER multiple times with crippling abdominal pains. These visits only ended in quick exams and fluids. They gave her paperwork that said it was inappropriate for her to come to the ER with these complaints. Shortly after, hospitals began refusing treatment until other people began to accompany her to the ER to advocate on her behalf. After THREE YEARS of struggle, they recently gave her a simple ultrasound. This led to them finding a mass and when the mass was checked a few days later, it was larger and inflamed. A more thorough exam revealed endometriosis and an abscess. The abscess was so bad that it had started fusing her organs together. These findings triggered two surgeries: 1) the initial laparoscopic oophorectomy and 2) an emergency open surgery with a 12 inch incision and unpredictable healing window.

Annie is a hardworking mom of three great kids and a wonderful grandma to one sweet boy. She is also a beloved aunt to her nieces and nephews. She has limited access to health insurance as open enrollment is only once a year and she financially cannot afford the premiums due to other medical bills caused by a car accident.

Her kids work hard to help her as much as they can though it’s still a struggle everyday to keep them going. These surgeries will put even more weight on the shoulders of her children.

Annie has been my friend since I was 17 years old. She has taught me a lot about life and about being a mom. She has always worked hard for everything and she always gives as much as she can to those she loves. She doesn't have immediate family in the area who can help alleviate some of this burden. I'm hoping that our community will come together and help her now.

Please help Annie be okay.