I have been active throughout my life and devoted the past two decades to studying and practicing healing work, including 25 years of yoga and qi gong. Five years ago, I injured my meniscus during a retreat and returned home to the sudden end of my partnership. I have had little opportunity to recover since then. After investing in a healing space, the building was sold within a year, leaving me burned out and forcing me to relocate my business. Within months of the separation with my partner and Mother of our child, I also had to move out of our home while covering all the bills for the remaining six months. My knee injury kept me from the physical and spiritual practices that had sustained me for 20 years. My credit suffered, my business barely survived, and I carried the emotional weight of the fallout with very little support. During the move, I had to keep working through significant pain in my arms and knee, pushing my body beyond its limits.

The past five years have been the most challenging of my life as I recovered from burnout as a bodyworker and teacher. Overnight, I was left with $10,000 in debt and lost most of my business. Depression followed as I gradually realized that the physical activity and athleticism that had shaped my life were largely out of reach, along with the stability of a career I had relied on for the previous 15 years. I continued doing what I could to heal, but the damage had already been done, and I carried deep grief over the ancestral patterns in my family.

I have been my son’s primary caregiver, especially over the past year. He is a wonderful 10-year-old who is neurodivergent and has ADHD and PDA, so he needs significant attention and support. Shortly after our separation, I withdrew him from school for six months because of how deeply it affected him. Meeting his needs while managing school-related challenges and the everyday demands of parenting has taken a substantial toll on my physical and mental health. Thankfully, he is back in school and thriving, but I still often must rearrange my schedule and responsibilities at a moment’s notice when he is unable to attend.

Accessing treatment over the past few years has been difficult.

Over the past four to five months, my knee has worsened significantly. Walking has become difficult, and a few months ago I had to stop teaching my regular qi gong classes.

Two doctors and an osteopath agree that the cartilage in my knee is gone and that I need a total knee replacement. I have also developed rheumatoid arthritis in my arms and wrists, which may have contributed to the cartilage loss in my knee. Because rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that can be affected by chronic nervous system dysregulation, the severe stress I have endured over the past five years has likely taken an additional toll on my health.

To give you a sense of my current condition, I cannot fully straighten my elbows and have not been able to do a push-up for years. I walk slowly, take stairs one step at a time, and have not been able to run in more than five years. By the end of the day, I often need a cane. Over the past year, I have lost significant weight and muscle. Athletic yoga classes and tai chi have been beyond my reach for years. Those who know me well also understand that these physical limitations have intensified longstanding family trauma, leaving me in a state of cumulative physical and emotional overload.

I have reached the point where I need a total knee replacement, scheduled for September 29. I have been self-employed for nearly 15 years and have never had health insurance, and the surgery alone is expected to cost more than $25,000. I will be unable to work for at least four weeks, and possibly longer. My recovery will require physical therapy several times a week for at least a month, as well as in-home care. Because I have already been barely covering my expenses, I will be unable to pay my bills while I am not working. I also will not be able to care for my son for at least a few weeks and will need help with school transportation, meals, and other daily needs. I am asking my community for support during this time. Until the surgery, I will continue offering somatic bodywork, Yi Jing, divination, spiritual guidance, and healing sessions.

I expect to be unable to work for at least one month, and possibly two. Having helped many people recover from similar procedures, I understand how challenging the process can be—but I also know that, with support and diligence, recovery is possible.

You can support me by booking a session online or donating through the link below to help cover these upcoming expenses.

A friend has offered to help care for me, prepare meals, and support me during recovery. I still need assistance caring for my son and covering rent, bills, and other living expenses while I am unable to work.

I am calling in any support you can offer, whether that be money, meals, support for my son, etc.

Because the exact costs are not yet known, I have assessed the expenses I expect to cover during this time. Below is a breakdown:

Surgery: $25,000

Rent, utilities, and food: $4,500 for one month or $9,000 for two months

Doctor visits: $2,000

Complementary recovery care (acupuncture, chiropractic care, massage, herbs, and related treatments): $2,500

Medications: $800

Physical therapy: $2,400

Rental of cooling and compression equipment for my knee: $500

Possible childcare support for my son: $2,500

Miscellaneous and unforeseen expenses: $3,000

Fundraising goal (based on two months of living expenses): $52,700.

I sincerely appreciate amount donated. 

In gratitude,

Joshua