Save McManus

Alright here we go.  In July 2019, I came home from Los Angeles back to visit my family and friends for a few weeks.  The 2nd night home, I woke up in the middle of the night with a super increased heart rate, and trouble breathing. The next morning, my momma took me to urgent care.  They sent me immediately to Bryn Mawr hospital where I ultimately spent three days, and learned that I had kidney failure and congestive heart failure that was caused by my Type 1 Diabeetus (which for those of you who don't know, I've had control of for 26 years), and I had accrued a pretty hefty hospital bill along with that.  Over the next few months, I was fortunate enough to receive care through social workers at the hospital and in its network, and eventually I qualified for Medicare, which is how I'm getting my treatment now.

I also applied for disability very early on, but like everything else in this process, it just takes forever.  Eventually, my application for disability was denied because I'm too young and not sick enough which I am obviously appealing.  Throughout all of this, I've been incredibly fortunate for my family and close friends who have been able to help me.  

Eventually, my transplant surgery will be at Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia, and on Monday the 17th of February, I was admitted again showing more advanced signs of kidney failure.  I had a catheter put in my chest, then three straight days of dialysis, then released Friday the 21st.  I've been home for a few days, and am adjusting to the limited mobility and limited functionality.  But I have to say, it seriously blows.  

All my stuff is currently in storage in Los Angeles, and regular bills are still coming in each month.  On so many levels, I don't know where I'd be without my family and friends throughout this, but I do need more help, especially financially.  I'm asking for help to cover bills and other expenses while I'm at this low point in my otherwise pretty rad life.

Early on, I was really beating myself up about this.  My first instinct was that, it was obviously my fault that my diabeetus was so far out of control and that I need to claim full responsibility for this.  However!  I can look back and fully acknowledge that while I wasn't perfect, I was very very far from out of control.  There are things that I can change moving forward.  Habits that I'll never return to again, but I was far from spiraling out of control and leading to kidney disease so early.  That's not my way of shirking my responsibilities, more so it's a confirmation that sometimes shit happens.  Life isn't always fair, so what?  

So, all of that to say, I know in my heart that I'm going to get through all of this with a few lessons learned (hard lessons learned, dialysis sucks!) and a lot of new perspectives.  Right now though, I could use your help.  Even if I end up with like $100, that'd be rad.  Thank you to everyone who has reached out or even just thought to themselves "I hope he's cool."  I'm not exactly cool yet, but I'm for sure gonna be.  Thank you.