Help Joe Recover

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. It's not a story that I want to have, Id rather be boring and not dealing with this. I am terrible at asking for help, but the situation doesn't allow me to pick and choose. As I try to live my life with Joy, the following is my terror.

 

The intention for the fundraiser:

1. Help defray costs of Mobility aids, at-home services, and any treatment or comfort aids.

2. To Allow my wife to be able to purchase food as needed while I'm in the hospital, to pay for a place to stay, and any potential incidentals.

3. To help our Financial liability for the Surgery, which will be around 7,000

4. To give my wife the time to care for me during my recovery.

 

Six years ago my life changed forever, I was in my apartment getting ready to go to bed, and I felt really Flu-ish. I sat down and pain rang through my body. I thought nothing of it and that I would shake it off. I got up the next morning and took my family to the museum. I ended up passing out at the museum.

 

That night my wife took me to urgent care and I found out that I had MRSA on my body. I figured they would lance it and I'd move on. Which ended up leading to a 4 year struggle, full of unknown masses in my body, antibiotics, needles galore, and eventually my physician was able to gain some level of control over it.

 

Then the phrase everyone has used for some reason or another. COVID happened. During the onset of the pandemic, I had a really nasty respiratory issue. I have had weak lungs most of my life, and pneumonia is sort of an annual thing for me. My wife called my Primary and noted that I was gasping for air; at the time, doctors weren't seeing patients in the office because they still had no idea what was going on. I ended up recovering, but not completely. I've never been the same since that time.

 

Eventually, as things eased up with COVID restrictions, we noticed that I was continuing to get sicker. During my annual physical, my Primary noted that I didn't look well and sent me to the hospital for a possible heart attack. He stated later that he did not expect me to come out of the hospital alive.

 

This “Mysterious” illness continued to baffle my medical team. Which now consists of 4 cardiologists, 1 Cardiothoracic surgeon, 2 Pulmonologists, 1 Rheumatologist, 1 Gastrointestinal, 1 Primary Care Physician, 1 Cardiologist that specializes in Advanced heart failure, 1 Neurologist, 1 Mental Health Counselor, 1 Orthopedic Surgeon,1 Dr that specializes in immune system issues and one amazing wife. (I know, right? that's a lot of Docs)

 

Many MANY tests, procedures and exams later. I was diagnosed with Lupus, Sjogren's Syndrome, and a rare heart disease called Constrictive Pericarditis.

 

What does this mean? It means my life and my family's life has ground to a halt; everything has been about keeping me alive. Having insurance help, but I'm constantly battling them to pay for things that I shouldn't have to beg for.

 

We have paid for mobility aids, a Chair that I can sleep in that helps me get up, An air filter, an oxygen machine that I was a few “points” away from the insurance paying for, but they would not. Potentially a ramp while I recover, Food and Gas for the many trips to Boston, and the money Krystyna will lose out of not being able to work over that summer which will result in a loss of income of 5000. That, combined with our financial liabilities/ insurance deductibles has exceeded 15,000 and will continue to grow.

 

I'm not great at asking for help, but I'm not the one working multiple jobs to keep everything going. I want my family whole, especially If I do not recover from this. I am lucky, there is a good prognosis, and I have a Surgeon who is Amazingly qualified and a Wonderful person. I’m scheduled for Open Heart Surgery on June 27th. They expect to keep me for 7-10 days. Based on how my body responds due to my many autoimmune issues, I am looking at a 3-8 month recovery time frame.

 

Feel free to message me with questions, I'm an open book, and I know sometimes fundraisers make people nervous, which is why I am trying to spell everything out.

 

As much as I don't care to admit it, I am afraid. Afraid for my family, my kids, my brother and myself.

 

Thank you for reading; I love you all,

 

Joe