Charlie's Medical Bills
Donation protected
Hello my name is Charles Ferrara. I am an Italian American who was a full time student and work full time as well. The reason I can no longer attened classes is becuase of the reason I am about to explain to you. I do not like writting my story, as everything is painful to bring back up. I have an impossible time asking for help, but now this money crisis has started to effect my parents. I can not see them struggle because of my unfortunnate medical bills.
I was diagnosed with stage 3 Colon Cancer resulting to have to get a colon ressection and also do 6 months of chemotherapy. Every week going to the hospital for injections and infusions followed by 72 hours of at home infusion connected to a chemo pump. A long 10 inch scar from the base of my privates up and around my belly button. A port surgically implanted in my chest to help pump the posion chemo through my body, that had to be replaced once, and removed, totaling 3 surgeries. I was finally recovered from my surgery and battle with the chemo. A more terrible 6 month stretch I could never imagine. The price and bills that came in however were even more shocking and hurtful then the battle with chemotherapy. Surgey, weeks spent in the hospital, the medications, the in home nursing, and not being able to work and being denied disability all made the money owed continue to grow and grow. Not to mention colonoscopys every 3 months were ordered as well as visits with
After a couple of years of both putting myself through school and workign full time, I was finally able to catch up and pay these bills.
Beating cancers ass was fantastic, but this feeling was even more grand. I was working and going to school full time enjoying the little social time I had going to the gym mainly. With apirations of competing in Mens Physique as an all natural athlete. I was doing great, I had never looked nor felt better and more acomplished in my life with everything moving in the right direction. By no means did I have plentiful amounts of money, but enough to pay the bills and have a little left over. Then this recent 3 month streak started with what i thought was just a bad stomach ache, maybe possibly some bad food consumed the day before.
Having to be rushed to the emergency room with both a 102 fever and constant vomiting, I was finally admitted. After going through x rays, CT scan, and MRI, it was determined that the combination scar tissue and adhessive product had pulled, twisted, and bent my colon into a kink. Similar to what happens when you bend a garden hose with water trying to rush out. Only instead of water, all of your naturally produced liquids and solids try to go the other way, causing inordiant amounts of pain. As a result and NG tube has to be administered. Does not sound so bad unless you have had to have one of these shoved into you. An NG tube goes down one of your nasal passages, down your throat, and ends up in your stomach. Yes it hurts, yes it uncomfortable the entire time as it constantly scratches your throat. Every word you speak only makes it worse and as a paitent in the hospital, you are always asked question after question, and friends and family want to talk and see you. This was an ER visit, and admittence into ORMC's cancer center because of my medical history. These consist of private rooms, that can accomidate someone to stay with you as they are equipped with a seperate bed. Yes it is expensive as it sounds. After a week of fluids being pumped into me through my IV and being sucked out of my stomach with the NG tube, my body finally was able to free itself from thr grasp of the scar tissue and "glue". Again this caused me to miss work and a good chunk of school. I was not able to just be released and go right back into daily routines. I had to stop school for the semester. My job was understanding and was able to keep me on. They were very helpful with my schedule letting me work but not pushing to hard.
I was out of the hospital just in time as my cousin was set to get married 2 weeks later. I am so lucky he is succesful and travels often for business. With my not being able to work and knowing what I would have to start paying in medical bills, he bought my ticket across country to San Franscico with his frequent flyer miles. I didnt even have enough money to pay the bag checking fee, so I put what I could in my backpack and was off to the wedding. My job let me do my work from the computer so of course I had my school/work laptop with me. This was a personal purchase and was one of the best electronics I have ever owned. A beautiful new Dell computer with th ebest processor I could afford, unfortunatly the hardrive went bad within a year, but i upgraded for only 50 extra dollars to the new SSD drives. Im no computer nerd, but these allow lightening fast startups and computer speed. The first night in SF my family all went out to dinner at a nice restaurant. First time we had all been together in a while. We ate our meal and enjoyed eachothers company for a coupel hours. My uncle rented a house for the weekend and said I could stay with them. As i went outside to get my bag from my cousin's rental car, I noticed something didnt look right. The back window of the rented Explorer was smashed into, the only thing taken, my back pack. Which contained two birthday cards with money from two of my aunts, my 3 pairs of clothes that I had brought with me, and my prize possesion, my beautiful laptop. San Fran has a robberry rate of 1 in every 23 people, we were a group of 22 people that weekend. I was the unlucky one. All of my prior school work, all of my photos, all of my work programs and information gone. Unfortuantly work was not so understanding this time, I was let go. It was honestly my fault for not backing up my information, but honestly I did not know how to back up a full computer or have any idea this would happen on my vacation.
Unfortunatly that was not were my story ends. After a couple weeks of being home and trying to find a new job. I knew I then had to move in with my parents to help save as much money as possible until I got back on my feet and working. My goal is to get a degree is sports medicine, helping people get stronger and recover from injury has always been a passion of mine. To lift my spirits from the first hospital stay my father bought me into a personal training certification program. I always have loved to read and learn and this was right up in my field of study and way less expensive then tuition at a university. As for my parents long story shor tmy mom works full time and my dad is on disability as he had to have a kidney trasnplant. But thats just to show they arent exactly rolling with extra money.
I woke up and had similar feelings in my stomach as i did prior to my last time being driven to the ER. Sure enough the exact same problem and for the second time in 3 months, I was admitted into the hospital through the ER. This tends to spike your bill, and again, because of my history, I was admitted into the cancer center. The same test and protocol was follwed. The terrible NG tube had made its return, only now, from having it put in 2 times prior had messed up my left nasal passage, this meant they had to switch and go right. Down with that terrible uncomfortable feeling of a tube sliding down your nose, down your throat and into your stomach. Another week spent lying in bed, in terrible pain. My mother resfused to leave my side as she did during all my stays in the hospital. She is an amazing woman who has survived 3 types of cancer in her life. She knows the pain and struggles of the hospital stays. The problem with her staying with me is she is the only one who works in the family. Now with my bills having to be payed for, cell phone, car insurance, medical expenses, this quickly drained my parents funds. Now i see huge bills come in the mail, 500 owed for cable and internet, 400 owed for cell phones, Propane gas bills for 400, car insurance and so on.
I do not want this money for myself, I wish I could do anything to get all the money back my parents have spent on my monthly bills and medical bills. Now have put themselves in finacial debt. I would drive for uber, but my car is too old. I finally found a job and have been working, but between my mother and I, we simply do not pull in enough money to pay for the mortage, house bills, and my medical bills. The reason why I have to pay my medical bills so so my doctors will see me when I have problems like i have ran into recently these past months. So the hospital will admit me and not send me to a differnt hospital as all my doctors are associated with ORMC. My parents have worked hard their entire lives to give me the best life possible, I do not want to ruin their later years because of the medical debt I have racked up.
I do not want to post pictures of me in the hospital, no one needs to see a depressed young man with tubes hooked up to his body. Honestly you know why I would like to be rich, my cousins rental car was not the only one broken into and had items stolen out of in that parkign lot. A relitivly young couple returning home visiting their parents car was also broken into and bag and laptop stolen which he used for work. I wish I had enough money to to reach into my pocket and hand him enough to replace it. I am not the flashy type who needs the newest car, the best tv, the expensive clothes. I just want to be able to give my parents enough money to pay the bills in the house and keep the cable and internet on. Keep our cell phones working. I want to be able to pay my medical bills and not have to stress and worry every day about them. I just want to go back to even. I just want to help my parents get back to thei rnormal life and not have to worry about bills and what i owe. Just know that any ammount of money sent will be appreciated beyond belief, I believe there is good in this world and that people will help those who truely need it. I aplogize for how this tunred out to be, I hope I did not ramble or loose train of thought, this was strait from my heart. This is the first time I have ever reached out for help. If you read this far, thank you for your time, for even listening to my story.
I was diagnosed with stage 3 Colon Cancer resulting to have to get a colon ressection and also do 6 months of chemotherapy. Every week going to the hospital for injections and infusions followed by 72 hours of at home infusion connected to a chemo pump. A long 10 inch scar from the base of my privates up and around my belly button. A port surgically implanted in my chest to help pump the posion chemo through my body, that had to be replaced once, and removed, totaling 3 surgeries. I was finally recovered from my surgery and battle with the chemo. A more terrible 6 month stretch I could never imagine. The price and bills that came in however were even more shocking and hurtful then the battle with chemotherapy. Surgey, weeks spent in the hospital, the medications, the in home nursing, and not being able to work and being denied disability all made the money owed continue to grow and grow. Not to mention colonoscopys every 3 months were ordered as well as visits with
After a couple of years of both putting myself through school and workign full time, I was finally able to catch up and pay these bills.
Beating cancers ass was fantastic, but this feeling was even more grand. I was working and going to school full time enjoying the little social time I had going to the gym mainly. With apirations of competing in Mens Physique as an all natural athlete. I was doing great, I had never looked nor felt better and more acomplished in my life with everything moving in the right direction. By no means did I have plentiful amounts of money, but enough to pay the bills and have a little left over. Then this recent 3 month streak started with what i thought was just a bad stomach ache, maybe possibly some bad food consumed the day before.
Having to be rushed to the emergency room with both a 102 fever and constant vomiting, I was finally admitted. After going through x rays, CT scan, and MRI, it was determined that the combination scar tissue and adhessive product had pulled, twisted, and bent my colon into a kink. Similar to what happens when you bend a garden hose with water trying to rush out. Only instead of water, all of your naturally produced liquids and solids try to go the other way, causing inordiant amounts of pain. As a result and NG tube has to be administered. Does not sound so bad unless you have had to have one of these shoved into you. An NG tube goes down one of your nasal passages, down your throat, and ends up in your stomach. Yes it hurts, yes it uncomfortable the entire time as it constantly scratches your throat. Every word you speak only makes it worse and as a paitent in the hospital, you are always asked question after question, and friends and family want to talk and see you. This was an ER visit, and admittence into ORMC's cancer center because of my medical history. These consist of private rooms, that can accomidate someone to stay with you as they are equipped with a seperate bed. Yes it is expensive as it sounds. After a week of fluids being pumped into me through my IV and being sucked out of my stomach with the NG tube, my body finally was able to free itself from thr grasp of the scar tissue and "glue". Again this caused me to miss work and a good chunk of school. I was not able to just be released and go right back into daily routines. I had to stop school for the semester. My job was understanding and was able to keep me on. They were very helpful with my schedule letting me work but not pushing to hard.
I was out of the hospital just in time as my cousin was set to get married 2 weeks later. I am so lucky he is succesful and travels often for business. With my not being able to work and knowing what I would have to start paying in medical bills, he bought my ticket across country to San Franscico with his frequent flyer miles. I didnt even have enough money to pay the bag checking fee, so I put what I could in my backpack and was off to the wedding. My job let me do my work from the computer so of course I had my school/work laptop with me. This was a personal purchase and was one of the best electronics I have ever owned. A beautiful new Dell computer with th ebest processor I could afford, unfortunatly the hardrive went bad within a year, but i upgraded for only 50 extra dollars to the new SSD drives. Im no computer nerd, but these allow lightening fast startups and computer speed. The first night in SF my family all went out to dinner at a nice restaurant. First time we had all been together in a while. We ate our meal and enjoyed eachothers company for a coupel hours. My uncle rented a house for the weekend and said I could stay with them. As i went outside to get my bag from my cousin's rental car, I noticed something didnt look right. The back window of the rented Explorer was smashed into, the only thing taken, my back pack. Which contained two birthday cards with money from two of my aunts, my 3 pairs of clothes that I had brought with me, and my prize possesion, my beautiful laptop. San Fran has a robberry rate of 1 in every 23 people, we were a group of 22 people that weekend. I was the unlucky one. All of my prior school work, all of my photos, all of my work programs and information gone. Unfortuantly work was not so understanding this time, I was let go. It was honestly my fault for not backing up my information, but honestly I did not know how to back up a full computer or have any idea this would happen on my vacation.
Unfortunatly that was not were my story ends. After a couple weeks of being home and trying to find a new job. I knew I then had to move in with my parents to help save as much money as possible until I got back on my feet and working. My goal is to get a degree is sports medicine, helping people get stronger and recover from injury has always been a passion of mine. To lift my spirits from the first hospital stay my father bought me into a personal training certification program. I always have loved to read and learn and this was right up in my field of study and way less expensive then tuition at a university. As for my parents long story shor tmy mom works full time and my dad is on disability as he had to have a kidney trasnplant. But thats just to show they arent exactly rolling with extra money.
I woke up and had similar feelings in my stomach as i did prior to my last time being driven to the ER. Sure enough the exact same problem and for the second time in 3 months, I was admitted into the hospital through the ER. This tends to spike your bill, and again, because of my history, I was admitted into the cancer center. The same test and protocol was follwed. The terrible NG tube had made its return, only now, from having it put in 2 times prior had messed up my left nasal passage, this meant they had to switch and go right. Down with that terrible uncomfortable feeling of a tube sliding down your nose, down your throat and into your stomach. Another week spent lying in bed, in terrible pain. My mother resfused to leave my side as she did during all my stays in the hospital. She is an amazing woman who has survived 3 types of cancer in her life. She knows the pain and struggles of the hospital stays. The problem with her staying with me is she is the only one who works in the family. Now with my bills having to be payed for, cell phone, car insurance, medical expenses, this quickly drained my parents funds. Now i see huge bills come in the mail, 500 owed for cable and internet, 400 owed for cell phones, Propane gas bills for 400, car insurance and so on.
I do not want this money for myself, I wish I could do anything to get all the money back my parents have spent on my monthly bills and medical bills. Now have put themselves in finacial debt. I would drive for uber, but my car is too old. I finally found a job and have been working, but between my mother and I, we simply do not pull in enough money to pay for the mortage, house bills, and my medical bills. The reason why I have to pay my medical bills so so my doctors will see me when I have problems like i have ran into recently these past months. So the hospital will admit me and not send me to a differnt hospital as all my doctors are associated with ORMC. My parents have worked hard their entire lives to give me the best life possible, I do not want to ruin their later years because of the medical debt I have racked up.
I do not want to post pictures of me in the hospital, no one needs to see a depressed young man with tubes hooked up to his body. Honestly you know why I would like to be rich, my cousins rental car was not the only one broken into and had items stolen out of in that parkign lot. A relitivly young couple returning home visiting their parents car was also broken into and bag and laptop stolen which he used for work. I wish I had enough money to to reach into my pocket and hand him enough to replace it. I am not the flashy type who needs the newest car, the best tv, the expensive clothes. I just want to be able to give my parents enough money to pay the bills in the house and keep the cable and internet on. Keep our cell phones working. I want to be able to pay my medical bills and not have to stress and worry every day about them. I just want to go back to even. I just want to help my parents get back to thei rnormal life and not have to worry about bills and what i owe. Just know that any ammount of money sent will be appreciated beyond belief, I believe there is good in this world and that people will help those who truely need it. I aplogize for how this tunred out to be, I hope I did not ramble or loose train of thought, this was strait from my heart. This is the first time I have ever reached out for help. If you read this far, thank you for your time, for even listening to my story.
Organizer
Charles Ferrara
Organizer
Orlando, FL
Inspired to help? Start a fundraiser for someone you know
