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I know there is a very large number at the top of this GoFundMe page – a number that many of us may not make in a year, or have never had close to in our bank accounts, and I understand if you're questioning it. Please let me explain.
My brother Cody is one of the most loving people I know. If you have a problem he can help you with, he'll work until he's blue in the face to help you fix it. Any time I've ever needed his help, I knew I could count on him to pour every ounce of his heart into making sure I was okay. Whether it was a place to stay, food to eat, or something he taught me, I never wavered in my confidence in him.
However, like all of us, Cody isn't perfect. He has his own struggles with mental health.
Six months ago, Cody moved to Nashville in order to secure a better future for himself by going to school for mechatronics – a field that not many schools in the U.S. offer, but something he is passionate about. Fortunately, our mom lives in Nashville, so he had a place to stay while waiting for the new school year to begin.
However, Cody has always dealt with social anxiety. Being in Nashville with no local friends, not knowing the city, and our mom working and not being able to be around all the time, Cody struggled to become accustomed to Nashville in the six months before the school year started.
His social anxiety heightened, he became depressed, and ultimately, through his fight to attend the school that he was so passionately looking forward to, he fell victim to his mental health this month and had to be hospitalized.
The good news: Cody is still in the hospital, but he is getting the help he needs to live a full and happy life, continue being the loving and caring brother and friend he is, and progress towards his passion of going to school.
The bad news: Cody's 26th birthday was on December 11, 2019 — the same day he fell off our dad's health insurance policy.
With things happening so shortly after his 26th birthday, we didn't have the chance to get him on his own health insurance policy before going to the hospital. This will leave us with at least two days of ED care and ambulance transportation completely uncovered by insurance. Two days may not seem like much, but in fact ambulance rides by themselves, even for trips less than 10 minutes, can range anywhere from $400 to $2500+ . It seems like a crazy number when so many of us only pay co-pays, but is truly devastating financially for those uninsured. More, simple emergency room visits can cost up to $3,000, before any medication provided or critical care.
Medicaid will cover the majority of the rest of his visit, however co-pays for staying for a week or more can still add up to thousands of dollars. Cody will also have to pay out-of-pocket for all medication and professional assistance outside the hospital.
My brother is alive – I can hear his voice and see his smiling face, I can reminisce and laugh with him about childhood memories (even when he would be "the only one" that could mess with me). If that is all that comes of this, I will be eternally grateful. However the reality of the world we live in is that green pieces of papers dictate much of what we can and cannot do. For some, it is the deciding factor between buying diapers or buying dinner – between keeping the heat on at night or going cold.
For us, it will be the difference between our family looking towards a bright and happy future for my brother, or bills in the mail every month offering a painful reminder of worse times.
So, that's my story. As I said, I know there is a very large number at the top of this page, but I hope you better understand why that is now. If you've even read this far, I thank you for your time. If you're able to donate, please do – any amount is a blessing. If you are not able to, I understand – I simply ask that you please share this post with a friend, family member, or on social media to those that may be able to.
My brother Cody is one of the most loving people I know. If you have a problem he can help you with, he'll work until he's blue in the face to help you fix it. Any time I've ever needed his help, I knew I could count on him to pour every ounce of his heart into making sure I was okay. Whether it was a place to stay, food to eat, or something he taught me, I never wavered in my confidence in him.
However, like all of us, Cody isn't perfect. He has his own struggles with mental health.
Six months ago, Cody moved to Nashville in order to secure a better future for himself by going to school for mechatronics – a field that not many schools in the U.S. offer, but something he is passionate about. Fortunately, our mom lives in Nashville, so he had a place to stay while waiting for the new school year to begin.
However, Cody has always dealt with social anxiety. Being in Nashville with no local friends, not knowing the city, and our mom working and not being able to be around all the time, Cody struggled to become accustomed to Nashville in the six months before the school year started.
His social anxiety heightened, he became depressed, and ultimately, through his fight to attend the school that he was so passionately looking forward to, he fell victim to his mental health this month and had to be hospitalized.
The good news: Cody is still in the hospital, but he is getting the help he needs to live a full and happy life, continue being the loving and caring brother and friend he is, and progress towards his passion of going to school.
The bad news: Cody's 26th birthday was on December 11, 2019 — the same day he fell off our dad's health insurance policy.
With things happening so shortly after his 26th birthday, we didn't have the chance to get him on his own health insurance policy before going to the hospital. This will leave us with at least two days of ED care and ambulance transportation completely uncovered by insurance. Two days may not seem like much, but in fact ambulance rides by themselves, even for trips less than 10 minutes, can range anywhere from $400 to $2500+ . It seems like a crazy number when so many of us only pay co-pays, but is truly devastating financially for those uninsured. More, simple emergency room visits can cost up to $3,000, before any medication provided or critical care.
Medicaid will cover the majority of the rest of his visit, however co-pays for staying for a week or more can still add up to thousands of dollars. Cody will also have to pay out-of-pocket for all medication and professional assistance outside the hospital.
My brother is alive – I can hear his voice and see his smiling face, I can reminisce and laugh with him about childhood memories (even when he would be "the only one" that could mess with me). If that is all that comes of this, I will be eternally grateful. However the reality of the world we live in is that green pieces of papers dictate much of what we can and cannot do. For some, it is the deciding factor between buying diapers or buying dinner – between keeping the heat on at night or going cold.
For us, it will be the difference between our family looking towards a bright and happy future for my brother, or bills in the mail every month offering a painful reminder of worse times.
So, that's my story. As I said, I know there is a very large number at the top of this page, but I hope you better understand why that is now. If you've even read this far, I thank you for your time. If you're able to donate, please do – any amount is a blessing. If you are not able to, I understand – I simply ask that you please share this post with a friend, family member, or on social media to those that may be able to.