Ozzy Villazon's medical expenses

Ozzy hadn't been feeling so great lately and had pretty bad back pain that would come and go. We finally went to the ER at Glendale Adventist on Thursday, April 3rd and he was sent home with muscle relaxer and a pain med. We went back Sunday, April 6th after he screamed in pain from just walking...we found he had 3 fractured vertebrae...he was kept until Tuesday, April 8th. That day they did a bone marrow biopsy and confirmed that he has cancer - multiple myeloma, Stage 3, very advanced and he needs chemo ASAP. Multiple myeloma tends to affect men, over 71 and more than likely African- American so it was one big "what the heck" for us. We went back again Thursday April 10th, this time with a high fever/blood infection. Finally was discharged Sunday, April 13th. We went to the oncologist Monday, April 14th. They'd like to do chemo 2x's a week for 6 months, radiation on the back, infusion once a month, followed by a bone marrow stem cell transplant. With this treatment, the doctors are VERY optimistic for Ozzy's outcome. The Dr. sent him home w/morphine and other drugs to help him deal with the pain before the chemo starts...This is for a guy who hated taking one little measly 200 mg tylenol when he had the flu. Tuesday the 15th, he seemed better but earlier today the 16th, he was in severe pain from 6:45 am onward. He couldn't move without being in excruciating pain so we called 911. They brought us here to Providence Hospital, Holy Cross Medical Center. He's in horrible, horrible pain like I've never seen in my life. The cancer is metastasizing very rapidly. Bottom line, he needs chemo ASAP. The hold up is the insurance. They have agreed to the treatment but not to the drug. We have called his oncologist repeatedly to check on the status and to plead. My hope is that through this medical facility, we can get access to chemo sooner. His family is here now and we have been with him around the clock. Everyone is exhausted but that doesn't matter. We just want him to get some pain relief, get the chemo started NOW and to start to feel better asap. Ozzy is a very strong, resilient person but he needs and would appreciate your prayers, thoughts, good wishes, love, whatever you want to send him. I'm grateful to all my friends that are Catholic, Buddhist, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Atheist, Mormon, Jehovah Witness, Agnostic, Hindu, Zoroastrian, Jedi, and any other group I can't think of right now that in the spirit of kindness toward your fellow man could send a good thought or prayer his way. I'm also grateful that both of us come from very big loving families that have been beyond supportive. I love Ozzy with all my heart. He's my favorite person in the world, my favorite collaborator, my best friend and the love of my life. I put $50,000 as a goal, but I really have no clue as to what this will end up costing us. All I know is that he is priceless.

Gabriela