Help Scott with medical bills.

"I'm starting this campaign for my friend Scott Harris.  It's hard to tell the story of why it's needed because recalling the details is overwhelming.  Shortly after the beginning of the lockdown he had to miss a lot of work, first to care for a terminally ill friend in his home and then for his son when he contracted COVID19.  It was costly and difficult but he had savings that covered the loss, his first business loss in ten years.  But at the beginning of this year, things really began to fall apart.  

 

The record freeze in February caused him to miss more work and expenses to repair the damage.  Then in March he suffered a heart attack on the job.  He's a durable guy and did okay but it meant more loss of income combined with co-pays from his hospitalization.  

 

Very soon after recovering from the heart attack, he started being nauseous for most of every day.   That caused more loss of work and his primary physician's office needlessly delayed his referral to a gastroenterologist.  In all, he was very ill for 12 weeks before seeing the specialist who found that he has two gastric ulcers.  As this was going on, both of his work vehicles had major mechanical failures and he was forced to pay cash for a replacement. If that weren't enough, he also lost an 8 year intimate relationship.

 

Four weeks ago and less than one month into treatment for the ulcers he sent his assistant to do some estimates for clients and left to do a small job on his own.  While working he had a fall from a tree resulting in a severe concussion (he's an arborist) then another fall and head injury at home walking to the bathroom in the middle of the night dizzy from the previous fall.  He has suffered memory loss, pain, confusion and dizziness.  

 

Last Saturday, in the middle of a phone conversation, he lost the ability to speak for about an hour.  He was taken to the local ER who transferred him to a larger hospital with better imaging and a full neurology team.   The first assumption was that he'd had a "transient ischemic attack" (brief stroke). They found that his right carotid artery had been "dissected", an injury that can throw blood clots into the brain.  But as a precaution they did an EEG and it was abnormal.  The neurology team introduced the possibility that, instead, he may have had seizures causing both the second fall and the last incident.

 

Scott came home from the hospital with instructions and medications for stroke AND for seizures along with instructions to not drive for 3 months.  At the end of his visit his internist, neurologist and ICU nurse all implored him not to return to his difficult, dangerous job.

 

If you know Scott, you've either experienced his generosity or known somebody who did.  His "friend discount" is either free work or just enough to pay his assistants.  He may have fixed your car or home when you didn't have money.  He may have recommended your product or service or offered you support and encouragement when you needed it.  He may have booked your band before anyone else would.  He may have given you plants, fruit, vegetables or home canned goods from his orchard and garden.  Maybe he took you fishing or sorted out a problem that you had no expertise to fix. Even if you didn't receive a favor per se, he was always honest and never unkind to you.  The point is, he has always given generously and now he needs to receive.  

 

Nobody is sure how much function he will regain or how soon but he will not return to tree work after spending 20+ years striving to be the best in that field.  So he's facing a long, uncertain recovery and a career change at 59 and his savings are almost totally depleted by the disastrous past 18 months or so.  Scott has a lot of tools and skills and he works to excel at them. Whatever he ends up with, he will work well again but has no almost no money left to live until he has recovered or to start another career.  If you can't contribute, please share this campaign widely