In 2012 I was accidentally struck in the face with the weighted base of a mic stand, shattering my teeth. In the years since, I have pursued care when possible, attempting to repair or contain the damage. Unfortunate the damage is so extensive, that each procedure ultimately failed, leading to crumbling dental work, exposed crown posts, gum separation and more. In the last few years, the cascading damage has begun to severely impact my already compromised health. My sinuses have collapsed, severe exacerbating my sleep apnea. The remaining fragmented teeth have caused gum irritation, recurring infections, nerve damage and pain. I struggle to eat, and I am self conscious when singing, smiling, speaking and performing. The pain i deal with makes speaking and eating even more of a difficulty, and I am limited in what I am physically able to eat, which has resulted in poor nutrition and weight gain. I have been hospitalized due to health issues that my compromised immune system was less able to combat. Now, I face significant health risks. There is a pocket of recurring infection that is in danger of breaching into my sinuses. If this happens, the infection is likely to travel to my brain and kill me. Previous attempts to address these issues have lead to cost estimates of 87 thousand dollars due to the need for bone grafts, the repair to my sinuses, gum grafts, etc. Fortunately, I have finally found a care provider who has given me a reasonable plan of care and cost estimate. My total cost would be $16,025.77. This plan would allow for the extraction of all of the damaged teeth/roots, several critical bone grafts, and dentures. Unfortunately, the sinus repairs and other procedures that would improve my quality of life are cost prohibitive, as are dental implants or semi permanent dental plates.

I do have insurance, but unfortunately the best policy offered by my employer covers a maximum of $1500.00 in services per year. I also have care-credit, but this caps at 5k and still requires me to pay it back out of pocket. Due to the emergent nature of the issue, i cant prolong care and just rely on care credit and doing this over the span of years. So, I find myself preparing to auction off 20 years accumulation of equipment and memorabilia from my music career, and soliciting funds here on Go Fund Me.

The Xray image shown is mine, from 2020. The damage is significantly worse now. I will post an updated Xray and itemized plan of care once my provider emails it to me. Those of you who know me are well aware of my work raising funds for autism programs, as well as my work with the NAACP, community health organizations, venues, bands, theaters, and my long years as a working independent musician with a variety of punk bands. You know I never ask for anything, and I do my best to give more to my community than I take. But in this, I need help, because, well, I have no options. I know the economy is trash, I know its the holidays, and I know we're all struggling, and no one finds the severity of my situation more inconvenient than me. I don't expect much, I don't even expect to make my minimum goal, let alone everything I need. But every little bit will help, and will be greatly appreciated. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for every donation, every share, every supportive comment.