the year began with an emergency vet visit - i almost lost my cat to a urinary blockage. he has never fully recovered from that.

on easter morning, the hospital called to tell us they'd found a liver for my dad. who had been diagnosed with end-stage liver failure and cancer in early 2013. he hugged me for the last time that day

my dad passed away in september after five months spent in the ICU battling an antibiotic-resistant strain of klebsiella pneumoniae - which he contracted during the surgery. The surgical tools had not been properly sterilised. He coded four times in those five months and suffered some brain damage as a result.

i was in the ER in october for chest pains. in november i developed several scary new health problems. i don't have health insurance and can't afford it. my boyfriend and i are currently trying to raise enough money for me to see a specialist, because several of my symptoms are pointing toward cancer. when i am not sleeping, i am crying. i am fighting suicidal thoughts all the time.

from start to finish, 2014 was a nightmare for me. i've fallen apart emotionally and physically and i'm no longer the person i was. it's hard to feel optimistic about 2015. in fact, i expect it to be even worse than last year. but here i am, and there you are. all we can do is move forward.

i wish you all the best of luck!