Being a sex worker often means that a dehabilitating illness can put you out of operation for an unknown amount of time. This loss of stability can be the difference between paying rent and suddenly finding yourself buried under bills you can't pay. Without any services available to help sex workers recover and get better, we sometimes overwhelm ourselves, taking on gigs and clients we're ill-equipped to handle just so we can survive.

My friend and costar in Lesbian Curves, porn performer Eden Alexander, is in this situation now. She's been ill and in chronic pain for over a month after having a near fatal drug reaction to a commonly prescribed drug. This triggered a skin infection called Steven Johnson's Syndrome,, which might have been addressed sooner had the doctor not slut shamed Eden, dismissing her experience and refusing her the care she needed.  Due to this, Eden developed full blow MRSA/staph infection on top of the skin infection, which trigged an existing thyroid condition. This caused her to go into something called myxedema coma, the most severe form of hypothyroidism, and she almost died.

After going untreated for so long,  she was too weak to handle the medicine she'd needed the week before. In a better medical system, she likely would've been hospitalized to help her with recovery... as we're in the US, however, she was not. Now her illness has spread to her heart and lungs- since the drug poisoning poisoned her entire nervous system, Eden still does not have full motor control back yet. She is struggling to recover, which might take anywhere from another week to another month.

Meanwhile, she had an unfortunate personal situation happen in the middle of it all, and was left without enough money to pay bills for the past 2 months. Of course her illness meant she had to cancel all work, and now has no income and no way of working for income. Eden's been trying to juggle all this on her own and needs care and help badly.

Eden needs funds for:

- a homecare nurse to come by and help her care for herself
- light physical therapy on the muscles and joints that have been aching and seizing for a month.

- a dog walker, dog food, and dog treats/toys as her dogs are severely traumatized and hyperactive- additionally, since Eden is unable to walk them, she's locked inside the house alone with 2 barking dogs all day every day and needs a break!

- a housekeeper/maid to come by and help Eden with her chores and laundry. Her current respiratory and heart condition prevent her from doing pretty much everything domestically... she's finding it impossible to keep up!

- her bills and living expenses for the next 6 weeks to 2 months as she has no idea how long it will take her to get well, and has nothing but a slew of medical appointments ahead of her.

Ideally we'd live in a system where health care was accessible, and holistic, giving people time to heal properly. Unfortunately we live in a work or die society. Sometimes, we need to reach out for help. I know it was extremely difficult for Eden to ask for help in the first place, and I hope that you'll consider supporting her in this difficult time!

Help Eden get better and back on our screens! <3

Also see more of this photo set on Indie Porn Revolution.