2019-2024

 I’ve lived through a series of extreme circumstances over the past several years.

It began with persistent illness while working in New Jersey. I had a SARS-like cough that lasted for four months, during which I was living in a basement with visible mold on the walls. Shortly afterward, I developed severe pneumonia. Both lungs were filled, my fever reached 104°F, and hospital staff were alarmed. I survived only after immediate medical treatment.

After that, I faced environmental hazards while living in my car. I survived a break-in while sleeping in the backseat, and I was caught in a tornado in New Jersey. I also undertook a 34-day fast, testing my body under extreme stress.

I encountered multiple human threats. In upstate New York, I stayed briefly on a farm where a predator-like individual behaved threateningly and followed me until I left the area. At an ashram, I shared limited space with a volatile, destabilizing person, which created a dangerous environment for me and others. She was eventually removed.

I also experienced an abusive relationship. A partner lied about his marital status, manipulated and terrorized me, verbally screamed at me for hours, and escalated to physical attacks, including choking and dragging me across a room. He interfered with my attempts to survive and forced me into stressful housing situations, while also resenting the small resources I had. I maintained my autonomy and survived the situation without escalation.

Throughout this period, I had no income, minimal resources, and no reliable support from family or friends. I improvised solutions for shelter and survival, including living in a car, moving into temporary housing at the ashram, and finding ways to protect myself and my dog. Once, I even smashed my car while trying to drive into the wilderness to camp safely. When confronted by the landowner’s enraged sister, I packed up and left immediately, preserving safety for myself and my dog.

I also undertook significant logistical challenges under risk. During the height of the pandemic, I drove across the country to see a longtime friend who was dying of cancer, carefully avoiding high-risk indoor environments. I arrived in time; she died two days later.

Currently, I am temporarily staying with my mother while I plan the next steps in finding my own place.

This is a sequence of events where I faced environmental hazards, severe illness, human threats, isolation, and resource scarcity. Every step required assessment, improvisation, and decisive action to survive.