Nana's Medical Expenses
Donation protected
If you have not heard, I was recently hospitalized for an immediate life/death surgery situation. After spending nearly two weeks in the hospital, I have finally been released. Annoying as it may be, the medical bills have already started bombarding me. After receiving only two of the many bills that I will receive, I am already surpassing three thousand dollars. This is just the beginning. If you know me, you know that more than anything, I HATE asking for assistance or help from anyone. However, with this just being the start of my expenses, any outside help would be deeply praised and appreciated. A dollar. Fifty cents. A wicked high-five. Anything would be highly treasured. If you are wanting to read a summarized story as to what happened to me, I have it posted below... Lastly, thank you to anyone who has helped me get through the past few weeks. I love you all!
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Heres a preface:
For nearly four years I have experienced an on-going intestinal, stomach related issue that has been misdiagnosed. This issue is on me that has put me in the position to be at a constant battle with excruciating stomach pains that have been indescribably paralyzing in the times at which I experience these pains. The pains in which I have experienced over the years can only be described as the feeling on the barbed wire being dragged through my intestines. For years, I have taken time to see several doctors get a diagnosis on this intestinal issue and no doctor has ever been able to put a name to the disorder in which I have been experiencing. The only relatable disorder any could connect my issues to was IBS, however, the symptoms never truly lined up. With my disorder, there was no direct food, beverage, activity, emotion, or weather implications that could dynamically cause my stomach flares to arise. So, through my own diagnosis, I decided that I would follow the treatment by my doctors and settle with IBS medications, along with my own created diet consisting of nearly an all-vegetarian diet. At this point, I was now mal-nourishing myself, but also incorrectly being diagnosed for an issue that was never truly there.
Heres what happened January 9th, 2020:
As I woke up and began to get ready for work, I began to feel as if I was going to have another stomach flare. My stomach was beginning to show signs of raw, sharp pains and I was feeling wildly sluggish. Being used to the pain, I prayed that it did not get any worse for that day and that I would be able to continue onto my day of work, which consisted of a very important, yet exciting photography trip to the Great Salt Lakes. Trying to ignore the pain, I grabbed all my snow gear, a camera bag, and a cup of coffee before drifting off to work. While, on my way to work, I could feel the pain in my stomach increasing immensely, almost making it too hard to even imagine going to work. Well, I didn't want to miss this trip to the GSL, so I decided to stop at the grocery store and buy a bottle of Pepto, hoping that would alleviate some of the pain. However, that was contrarily the worst decision I could have made. Continuing to work, and arriving at the museum, I nearly crawled my way out of my car with a pain in my stomach that was nearly collapsing. Again, this trip was too important to me, so I continued on into the museum where I hid inside my little basement darkroom, praying that the Pepto would take control. At this point, the pain in my stomach had reached a point to which I couldn't nearly see straight, nor walk. Now, I knew there was no way I could make the trip; I had to go home. So, I did. And once there, I made my attempt to lay down and sleep off this pain. Horribly, the pain grew tenfold, and I knew there was something wrong. Struggling to put clothes back on, I decided that I would go to the nearest med-clinic to get checked out. Upon my arrival, the med-clinic declined me, stating that my insurance was not accepted at their office and that they had a referral clinic for me. Almost at tears from the pain, I was in, I literally crawled my way back to my car and headed to the next clinic. This time, my pain had grown so strong that I had lost all sight, and was navigating the road through the voice of Google Maps and the sounds coming from the cars I heard outside my opened window. I finally arrived at my second clinic and once again, I was decline. This time because the office was too full for the day. Now, things were far too real. Now I could not take the pain. Now I knew I was in trouble. However, I managed to fight my way to my third clinic where finally, I was accepted. With pain to immense, the doctors could only suspect that I had appendicitis and decided that they could not treat me; my diagnosis was out of their hand and I needed emergency care. Their solution; call me a cab and send me to the ER.
Finally, I end up at the Hospital where I am ALMOST immediately taken to an ultrasound room. I was scanned from head to toe to be examined for a correct diagnosis. After waiting in the medical room, one of the world's leading surgeons walked into the room and gave me the news. He told me the left side of my large intestine (the cecum) had flipped completely upside down and twisted itself off, cutting off the blood supply to the rest of my intestines. His direct words were, "you have an option, you can either go into immediate emergent surgery, or you can let this continue, allowing your intestines to die, giving you the rest of the day to live." Absolutely petrified at the news he just gave me I immediately called my mother, debating whether or not I should have the surgery- given the fact that it might not be successful. Convinced, I decided to go through with the surgery. Yet, the worst part had not come yet. Because, after successfully completing my first surgery, the other side of my intestines (the sigmoid) did the same exact thing, but this time it twisted three times, actually killing parts of my intestinal tract and colon. At this time, I was in a life or death situation and was forced back into emergency surgery once again- A surgery that many doctors have never had taken part in.
Eventually, after nearly an entire day of exhausting surgical procedures, I was done. I made it through both surgeries and was in the clear. I had lost most parts of my large intestines, causing me to lose tremendous amounts of muscle definition and body weight, but also leaving me tremendously sick. For over a week, I battled to regain consciousness and struggle to relearn how to use the strength in my legs, back and many parts of my body.
I am now finally out of the hospital and regaining my strength with each day, but at an incredible rate. I am finally walking again and have been given approval to eat for the first time in two weeks. This experience has been one that I would never pray upon anyone, and I am glad it is over. For, I know it is over now. Both of these surgeries have given doctors confidence that I will never experience a misdiagnosis for my stomach pains because they will never come again. The solution was correcting my intestines, however previous doctors waited too long to do so. I know that sounds like a gripe, but I could not be more grateful for the work the surgeons who performed their work on me. I put my life in their hands twice, and now I will finally be able to live a life free from stomach pains.
To everyone who has sent prayers my way, I can not thank you enough. They were more than appreciated and I love you all for your thoughts.
______________________________________________________________________________
Heres a preface:
For nearly four years I have experienced an on-going intestinal, stomach related issue that has been misdiagnosed. This issue is on me that has put me in the position to be at a constant battle with excruciating stomach pains that have been indescribably paralyzing in the times at which I experience these pains. The pains in which I have experienced over the years can only be described as the feeling on the barbed wire being dragged through my intestines. For years, I have taken time to see several doctors get a diagnosis on this intestinal issue and no doctor has ever been able to put a name to the disorder in which I have been experiencing. The only relatable disorder any could connect my issues to was IBS, however, the symptoms never truly lined up. With my disorder, there was no direct food, beverage, activity, emotion, or weather implications that could dynamically cause my stomach flares to arise. So, through my own diagnosis, I decided that I would follow the treatment by my doctors and settle with IBS medications, along with my own created diet consisting of nearly an all-vegetarian diet. At this point, I was now mal-nourishing myself, but also incorrectly being diagnosed for an issue that was never truly there.
Heres what happened January 9th, 2020:
As I woke up and began to get ready for work, I began to feel as if I was going to have another stomach flare. My stomach was beginning to show signs of raw, sharp pains and I was feeling wildly sluggish. Being used to the pain, I prayed that it did not get any worse for that day and that I would be able to continue onto my day of work, which consisted of a very important, yet exciting photography trip to the Great Salt Lakes. Trying to ignore the pain, I grabbed all my snow gear, a camera bag, and a cup of coffee before drifting off to work. While, on my way to work, I could feel the pain in my stomach increasing immensely, almost making it too hard to even imagine going to work. Well, I didn't want to miss this trip to the GSL, so I decided to stop at the grocery store and buy a bottle of Pepto, hoping that would alleviate some of the pain. However, that was contrarily the worst decision I could have made. Continuing to work, and arriving at the museum, I nearly crawled my way out of my car with a pain in my stomach that was nearly collapsing. Again, this trip was too important to me, so I continued on into the museum where I hid inside my little basement darkroom, praying that the Pepto would take control. At this point, the pain in my stomach had reached a point to which I couldn't nearly see straight, nor walk. Now, I knew there was no way I could make the trip; I had to go home. So, I did. And once there, I made my attempt to lay down and sleep off this pain. Horribly, the pain grew tenfold, and I knew there was something wrong. Struggling to put clothes back on, I decided that I would go to the nearest med-clinic to get checked out. Upon my arrival, the med-clinic declined me, stating that my insurance was not accepted at their office and that they had a referral clinic for me. Almost at tears from the pain, I was in, I literally crawled my way back to my car and headed to the next clinic. This time, my pain had grown so strong that I had lost all sight, and was navigating the road through the voice of Google Maps and the sounds coming from the cars I heard outside my opened window. I finally arrived at my second clinic and once again, I was decline. This time because the office was too full for the day. Now, things were far too real. Now I could not take the pain. Now I knew I was in trouble. However, I managed to fight my way to my third clinic where finally, I was accepted. With pain to immense, the doctors could only suspect that I had appendicitis and decided that they could not treat me; my diagnosis was out of their hand and I needed emergency care. Their solution; call me a cab and send me to the ER.
Finally, I end up at the Hospital where I am ALMOST immediately taken to an ultrasound room. I was scanned from head to toe to be examined for a correct diagnosis. After waiting in the medical room, one of the world's leading surgeons walked into the room and gave me the news. He told me the left side of my large intestine (the cecum) had flipped completely upside down and twisted itself off, cutting off the blood supply to the rest of my intestines. His direct words were, "you have an option, you can either go into immediate emergent surgery, or you can let this continue, allowing your intestines to die, giving you the rest of the day to live." Absolutely petrified at the news he just gave me I immediately called my mother, debating whether or not I should have the surgery- given the fact that it might not be successful. Convinced, I decided to go through with the surgery. Yet, the worst part had not come yet. Because, after successfully completing my first surgery, the other side of my intestines (the sigmoid) did the same exact thing, but this time it twisted three times, actually killing parts of my intestinal tract and colon. At this time, I was in a life or death situation and was forced back into emergency surgery once again- A surgery that many doctors have never had taken part in.
Eventually, after nearly an entire day of exhausting surgical procedures, I was done. I made it through both surgeries and was in the clear. I had lost most parts of my large intestines, causing me to lose tremendous amounts of muscle definition and body weight, but also leaving me tremendously sick. For over a week, I battled to regain consciousness and struggle to relearn how to use the strength in my legs, back and many parts of my body.
I am now finally out of the hospital and regaining my strength with each day, but at an incredible rate. I am finally walking again and have been given approval to eat for the first time in two weeks. This experience has been one that I would never pray upon anyone, and I am glad it is over. For, I know it is over now. Both of these surgeries have given doctors confidence that I will never experience a misdiagnosis for my stomach pains because they will never come again. The solution was correcting my intestines, however previous doctors waited too long to do so. I know that sounds like a gripe, but I could not be more grateful for the work the surgeons who performed their work on me. I put my life in their hands twice, and now I will finally be able to live a life free from stomach pains.
To everyone who has sent prayers my way, I can not thank you enough. They were more than appreciated and I love you all for your thoughts.
Organizer
Nathan Gentry
Organizer
Salt Lake City, UT