A Hope For A Breath
Donation protected
Many of you reading this know me and have witnessed some of my health experiences and I am thankful each of you were there for me. For those of you who do not; here is a brief story of my conditions and what this GoFundMe is about.
First of all, my name is James and it is good to once again say hi to those I know and hi to those who are first meeting me here. I have many health issues. I was one of few (according to doctors) who was born a diabetic from the very second of birth. Later in life I was part of the internal insulin pump trials being performed at Summit Hospital in Donaldson TN. Shortly after a surgery I was diagnosed with Addison’s Disease. During my mid – late 20’s I became very ill with what at the time was diagnosed as Asthmatic Bronchitis. I spent a few weeks in the hospital very ill. I was unable to breathe enough to walk. It was at that point I developed a strider cough that never went away. The next year it happened again. From that point forward I was diagnosed with asthma. I knew it was not asthma. I had been around to many people with asthma and this was different. My doctor sent me to several specialist but all gave same diagnosis.
Finally, in 2008 I became critically ill. I could not breath. Most days I was unable to stay away. Many times, if I made it to the restroom, I would have to stop multiple times to keep from passing out due to a shortness of air. My blood pressure dropped to such a low level the only option of keeping me alive was to place me into a medically induced coma. Once in the coma they did an emergency full pericardiectomy (removal of the lining of the heart) thinking it had hardened and my heart could not move enough blood to move oxygen through my blood. The surgeon found no evidence of this once lining was removed and I was left in a coma for 27 days while the doctors and my family waited for me to pass. The GOOD LORD had other plans for me however. They finally “pulled the plug” and I woke. They did a bronchoscopy at which point they found the focus of this GoFundMe need. I had what at the time was considered an extremely rare disease in adults called Tracheobronchomalacia. At that point it was only in my Trachea.
The top image is an example of the disease. If you look lower left you see how a normal Trachea looks. However, when you look at lower right you see what a collapsed trachea looks like. Mine has progressed into my bronchial tubes, along with what is called excessive dynamic anterior motion of posterior membrane. Another words when I breath out hard, cough, laugh, or become active the back meets the front and all air is cut off.
I am going to Beth Israel deaconess medical center to do a trial. During this trial they will run a Dynamic CT. they will perform Pulmonary function test, insert a stent into the trachea then do another pulmonary function test after which they will remove stent. this will cover 10-13 days’ time. I will have to stay in Boston. My wife will also have to be with me. IF I am at a certain point, I will qualify for a treatment to help me breathe easier
This surgery is a serious surgery. Here is a link to the hospital where you can learn more.
https://www.bidmc.org/centers-and-departments/chest-disease-center/programs-and-services/the-tbm-program
TTo break it down: Based on what others who had the surgery have told me; they will make an approximately 12-inch incision starting below my right shoulder blade in the back. It will be c shaped. If needed they may e=sever a rib. they will then move the lung to gain access to my trachea. They will sew a Y shaped mesh starting from the top of the rear part of the trachea all the way down and to the large bronchus using hundreds of stitches. This will reinforce my trachea allowing me to breathe easier. THIS IS NOT A CURE. It is a way to allow me to gain some activity back by breathing much easier.
It is time to do this. many of you have seen me very close to death at various times. It has progressed now to a point I am basically not able to much at all. I am raising the funds to help pay for all of the "unknown" medical cost, the multiple flights to and from Boston for my wife and my self, food, lodging, and in town travel, for both of us, while there, along with any other unforseen cost.
Boston has GREAT health opportunities. however, it also comes at a high price tag to stay there as a guest. After doing cost analysis and also looking up average cost for two to stay in Boston I came within a couple of hundred dollars of what the cost estimate from Boston said. It is roughly $5000 for two people for two weeks. I will have to make two trips for sure; this first being approximately 13 days and the second trip being a minimum of two weeks. There will then be a three month follow up exam. And of course, any issues are added to this. So, the $12,000 will cover just the straight up known cost attached to the procedures.
Any help you can give will go a long way and will help me to have more time without struggle. I want to thank each of you in advance for taking the time to read this. And for those of you that know me, lol yes, I used spell check at least 1000 times during this. ;)
Once again: THANK YOU!
First of all, my name is James and it is good to once again say hi to those I know and hi to those who are first meeting me here. I have many health issues. I was one of few (according to doctors) who was born a diabetic from the very second of birth. Later in life I was part of the internal insulin pump trials being performed at Summit Hospital in Donaldson TN. Shortly after a surgery I was diagnosed with Addison’s Disease. During my mid – late 20’s I became very ill with what at the time was diagnosed as Asthmatic Bronchitis. I spent a few weeks in the hospital very ill. I was unable to breathe enough to walk. It was at that point I developed a strider cough that never went away. The next year it happened again. From that point forward I was diagnosed with asthma. I knew it was not asthma. I had been around to many people with asthma and this was different. My doctor sent me to several specialist but all gave same diagnosis.
Finally, in 2008 I became critically ill. I could not breath. Most days I was unable to stay away. Many times, if I made it to the restroom, I would have to stop multiple times to keep from passing out due to a shortness of air. My blood pressure dropped to such a low level the only option of keeping me alive was to place me into a medically induced coma. Once in the coma they did an emergency full pericardiectomy (removal of the lining of the heart) thinking it had hardened and my heart could not move enough blood to move oxygen through my blood. The surgeon found no evidence of this once lining was removed and I was left in a coma for 27 days while the doctors and my family waited for me to pass. The GOOD LORD had other plans for me however. They finally “pulled the plug” and I woke. They did a bronchoscopy at which point they found the focus of this GoFundMe need. I had what at the time was considered an extremely rare disease in adults called Tracheobronchomalacia. At that point it was only in my Trachea.
The top image is an example of the disease. If you look lower left you see how a normal Trachea looks. However, when you look at lower right you see what a collapsed trachea looks like. Mine has progressed into my bronchial tubes, along with what is called excessive dynamic anterior motion of posterior membrane. Another words when I breath out hard, cough, laugh, or become active the back meets the front and all air is cut off.
I am going to Beth Israel deaconess medical center to do a trial. During this trial they will run a Dynamic CT. they will perform Pulmonary function test, insert a stent into the trachea then do another pulmonary function test after which they will remove stent. this will cover 10-13 days’ time. I will have to stay in Boston. My wife will also have to be with me. IF I am at a certain point, I will qualify for a treatment to help me breathe easier
This surgery is a serious surgery. Here is a link to the hospital where you can learn more.
https://www.bidmc.org/centers-and-departments/chest-disease-center/programs-and-services/the-tbm-program
TTo break it down: Based on what others who had the surgery have told me; they will make an approximately 12-inch incision starting below my right shoulder blade in the back. It will be c shaped. If needed they may e=sever a rib. they will then move the lung to gain access to my trachea. They will sew a Y shaped mesh starting from the top of the rear part of the trachea all the way down and to the large bronchus using hundreds of stitches. This will reinforce my trachea allowing me to breathe easier. THIS IS NOT A CURE. It is a way to allow me to gain some activity back by breathing much easier.
It is time to do this. many of you have seen me very close to death at various times. It has progressed now to a point I am basically not able to much at all. I am raising the funds to help pay for all of the "unknown" medical cost, the multiple flights to and from Boston for my wife and my self, food, lodging, and in town travel, for both of us, while there, along with any other unforseen cost.
Boston has GREAT health opportunities. however, it also comes at a high price tag to stay there as a guest. After doing cost analysis and also looking up average cost for two to stay in Boston I came within a couple of hundred dollars of what the cost estimate from Boston said. It is roughly $5000 for two people for two weeks. I will have to make two trips for sure; this first being approximately 13 days and the second trip being a minimum of two weeks. There will then be a three month follow up exam. And of course, any issues are added to this. So, the $12,000 will cover just the straight up known cost attached to the procedures.
Any help you can give will go a long way and will help me to have more time without struggle. I want to thank each of you in advance for taking the time to read this. And for those of you that know me, lol yes, I used spell check at least 1000 times during this. ;)
Once again: THANK YOU!
Organizer
James Corbett
Organizer
Greenbrier, TN
