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Rally Around Rhett

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My name is Katie Chaney, and I'm asking those who can help, to help the love of my life. Please take the time to read this all the way through, I wanted to give enough info to people so they can feel at ease for the cause they are donating.To let you all know how urgent this has become, we are literally about to go homeless. We have no family to turn to too, If we loose our home we have nowhere to go. We have exhausted all of our income,and avenues for income.His Disability including SRB benefits have ran out, he asked his business agent in las vegas if they could take up a collection to help us out. He was denied by the Ironworkers union, because his injury was not a direct result of an “on the job accident”. Even though all of his injuries and surgeries he has required are all as a direct result of years of wear and tear on his body in his trade.He has been a union member since 2007. We are currently in the process of seeing if he can receive permanent SSI disability this is a very lengthy process and is still not guaranteed. Even if we get SSI the amount we have been told he could receive will not be enough to even come close to supporting him for what he needs done.With all that said here is what happened. About two years ago Rhett and I decide to move to Las Vegas, Well not long after he started working his lower back gave out, and it just kept getting worse until it put him in the hospital and he was told he needed surgery, so we prayed and prayed about it and it seem to be the only option to getting out of pain so he went through with it,and he got his L-4 to S-1 vertebra fused on oct. 2, 2017.
8 months later his lower back is still in unbearable pain, come to find out the doctor messed up in doing the spine fusion for which he now needs corrective surgery. Around the end of April With about 3 months left on disability he began to experience pain in his right arm going numb he also began to loose function in that arm I had to watch him suffer in pain and watch as the pain became unbearable! We were referred to a Dr. Kabins, we went to see him and he reviewed the MRI and told us to go to the hospital immediately “we need to check you in and you need an emergency cervical spine fusion, without it you could be paralyzed possibly in a matter of days”.In the hospital he explained that Rhett had 3 vertebra pushing on his spinal cord in his neck, and without treatment paralysis was imminent! even with surgery paralysis was still possible. Well with no where left to turn and dying in pain he opted for the surgery on May 7th 2018, with best case scenario he will have limitations of function and his right side for the rest of his life also the fusion is going to take up to 3 years to totally fuze. On the night of the surgery we prayed and cried and held each other close. He looked up and said god my life is in your hands what will be will be! I was so terrified he might not wake up, or be paralyzed for life.His current surgeon says “ he is a prime candidate for reconstructive back surgery, but will not touch him until he is paid for what he has already done.” (Which we totally understand,The reason there is even an issue is because the Dr. was outside of Rhett’s insurance network. He agreed to do the surgery in the first place as it was an emergency surgery.) So he is in a loose loose situation right now, he needs a corrective spine surgery, and extensive physical therapy for neck and back to be able to get back to some sort of job, but he needs a job to pay for all the thousands of dollars in medical bills,rehab, and monthly bills. He cant even turn his head and is unable to even drive.(AUG. 1ST HAD FOLLOW UP DR. APT.) From this point the Dr. said it will take 4 to 6 months, until his neck will heal enough to where he can then move it freely. At that point we will find out how much range of motion he will have. He has stressed if Rhett tries to do to much to soon Paralysis is still possible.I know the amount we are asking for is not enough to cover what he needs but that was all he would let me put on here because he does not want for to much even when he needs it.

This experience has been one of the most eye opening, and terrifying times in my life, but also it has given me the gratitude to thank god for every moment we have been afforded to be able to spend together!!! When I first met Rhett he had told me his life story he's dad had MS and he took care of him until he died when Rhett was only 16, and he was then put in foster care his mom was sick and died from sorosis of the liver when he was only 20, and how he went homeless from 18-22 years old, and from there with the help from an anonymous program he worked his butt off to get his life back on track. So he tells me all this bad stuff happen to him with a smile on his face, and I asked him how can you still have a smile on your face he said "I help others". and for 8 years I have seen this man give the shirt off his back no questions asked day after day no matter what he has the biggest heart and the sweetest soul.the doctor said he would never live a normal life, Rhett wants to prove him wrong. That he can do what they say is impossible,while never loosing that smile on his face.
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  • Anonymous
    • $100 
    • 5 yrs
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Organizer

Katie Chaney
Organizer
Las Vegas, NV

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