Help with Claude's Health Crisis
Donation protected
I need to start this by saying that what I’m about to tell you has been deathly frightening for me, so I do not know where to start, but I will start where I feel comfortable. My voice is a big part of my life. It’s who I am. So this is really no joke.
About a year ago I began to notice something physical happening with my speech. At first, it was relatively minor. I started to notice certain vocal anomalies as I listened back to my voice on the podcasts (and some of my recorded shows). Some words were becoming slurred or there was a lisp I actually never had before. When I was speaking between songs during the shows, I would catch myself having some trouble enunciating certain syllables. Luckily my singing was not affected very much, but even a little is too much.
So I went for a cat-scan of my jaw. The scan revealed that ALL of my teeth have to be pulled, and it was explained to me that the trouble I was having with my speech was due to some lost teeth that had created a realignment of my remaining ones (there is a growing set of gaps where I have lost prior teeth).
I stared at the scanned images in disbelief. All of them? But it was true. I could see it on the scan. Every tooth in my mouth is, at best, less than a 16th of an inch into my bones. The dentist told me she could probably pull each one out without much effort. She was amazed that I could even eat food. It looked terrifying. But the implications of what that meant was worse. I was told, in no uncertain terms, that I needed to have this done immediately, and that to delay it could put me in danger. What?
What’s the worst case? That I could somehow go into septic shock, the very thing which my mom died of in 2019, or possible heart problems... Wait, what? Heart disease? I felt stupefied. Shocked emotionally. I listened to all of my options as a zombie, stiff. The staff at that lab was especially understanding of my near breakdown in explaining to them that my voice… What would happen to my voice? How can I sing without teeth??
I am having trouble writing this. I did not want to talk to anyone, see anyone or be around people. But it’s my job to be around people because I love them. It’s my job!
While the news was/is bleak, it could be worse. And I know there are others who have it worse. I researched it and wound up helping a few people out with the same problem. So in writing this down, I am doing my best to keep my composure because I am blessed, and I know it.
Regardless of this news, or what comes next, I know I am blessed. I am lucky enough to be here and have what I have in this life. I know others have it worse. It’s not my way to ask for things without giving something in return. But I digress...
I will have to undergo surgery this next week to extract all the teeth and I will get a permanent set of new ones using a process known as All-over-4. At the end of it all, I will look better, and my voice will go back to normal. I’m lucky in that my jaw can handle it from what the scan showed, and no bone grafting will be needed (fingers crossed just in case). Thank God for that. But it’s a hard road ahead. Both emotionally and financially.
As you know, I’ve been doing more art and music than ever. I’ve been busy. Shows all over the place, including places I’d not been to in nearly 30 years! Denver, Seattle, Sunland, and places I have had great success in such as El Paso and Chicago. I’ve been busy! Which is a great thing!
I’ve done podcasts, FB lives of my rehearsals and heading in a direction of 24/7 broadcasting of my life. I feel I was born for it, you know? I live for that interaction I keep with Abox fans. I love this aspect of my life. We’ve grown up together. It’s a community in a real sense and not some made-up ‘tagline’. I love what I do and how the world interacts with me. And now, I really need your help.
I have been told that after the first phase, I should be able to do shows, but that I have to be careful. For a time, I’ll be on a near-liquid diet for 4 months (and again for a few weeks after the 2nd phase), but at the end of it all, I’ll be OK. I will get past it!
There. I got through telling you the first part. So this next part will be no surprise.
It’s going to cost me every penny of my savings and 401k. I won’t have a dime left to my name, and it will be a huge debt. As embarrassing as this is, it is the truth. I could, theoretically, put myself into tremendous debt, but I’m pretty depressed about getting into such a debt now that I’ve come so far to get out of it. Thing is, I have to do it whether I like it or not, without insurance and all.
It is going to cost $42K (based on about 20k for upper, and another 20k for lower). In order to get the surgery, I need about 20k down to start. While I was at the office they had me apply for a loan and I was accepted for 14k. And I put in the rest to make up that 20. The rest I will pay off however I can. I hate this part, but whatever you can do to help is heartfelt, and I will be indebted to you forever because of it.
I have this crippling fear of using all my savings for my health, with nothing to keep me going while I weather the storm of it all. The whole thing gives me frightening visions, to say the least. My thoughts are louder than ever in my head. What can I do? Where do I turn?
For one thing, I am turning my creativity towards an answer, as simply asking for money for nothing is not my way. But I need the help, and there are things I have as assets that can help me. I have my music, and I have my art. These are my only true assets. So I expect to be selling as much art/music as I can to get through this year’s hardship.
So this is why I started this. I’m asking for some help, and rather than just take a handout, I would like to offer up ways in which you can help me out. All ideas are welcome, and I will keep you all updated as I go through all of this. In the end, I think I will come out of it OK.
During my ‘downtime’, I will paint, prepare some releases, and sell some art. My hope is that I’ll bring that 45k figure down, and get past this period in time unscathed. I’m an optimist. I think I will be fine. I believe it. And look, if all you want to do is send me a good vibe or a prayer, that's OK!
I truly thank you for reading this. I hope to be 100% before this year is over, and any vibes, thoughts you send my way are both loved and appreciated.
Love,
Claude
About a year ago I began to notice something physical happening with my speech. At first, it was relatively minor. I started to notice certain vocal anomalies as I listened back to my voice on the podcasts (and some of my recorded shows). Some words were becoming slurred or there was a lisp I actually never had before. When I was speaking between songs during the shows, I would catch myself having some trouble enunciating certain syllables. Luckily my singing was not affected very much, but even a little is too much.
So I went for a cat-scan of my jaw. The scan revealed that ALL of my teeth have to be pulled, and it was explained to me that the trouble I was having with my speech was due to some lost teeth that had created a realignment of my remaining ones (there is a growing set of gaps where I have lost prior teeth).
I stared at the scanned images in disbelief. All of them? But it was true. I could see it on the scan. Every tooth in my mouth is, at best, less than a 16th of an inch into my bones. The dentist told me she could probably pull each one out without much effort. She was amazed that I could even eat food. It looked terrifying. But the implications of what that meant was worse. I was told, in no uncertain terms, that I needed to have this done immediately, and that to delay it could put me in danger. What?
What’s the worst case? That I could somehow go into septic shock, the very thing which my mom died of in 2019, or possible heart problems... Wait, what? Heart disease? I felt stupefied. Shocked emotionally. I listened to all of my options as a zombie, stiff. The staff at that lab was especially understanding of my near breakdown in explaining to them that my voice… What would happen to my voice? How can I sing without teeth??
I am having trouble writing this. I did not want to talk to anyone, see anyone or be around people. But it’s my job to be around people because I love them. It’s my job!
While the news was/is bleak, it could be worse. And I know there are others who have it worse. I researched it and wound up helping a few people out with the same problem. So in writing this down, I am doing my best to keep my composure because I am blessed, and I know it.
Regardless of this news, or what comes next, I know I am blessed. I am lucky enough to be here and have what I have in this life. I know others have it worse. It’s not my way to ask for things without giving something in return. But I digress...
I will have to undergo surgery this next week to extract all the teeth and I will get a permanent set of new ones using a process known as All-over-4. At the end of it all, I will look better, and my voice will go back to normal. I’m lucky in that my jaw can handle it from what the scan showed, and no bone grafting will be needed (fingers crossed just in case). Thank God for that. But it’s a hard road ahead. Both emotionally and financially.
As you know, I’ve been doing more art and music than ever. I’ve been busy. Shows all over the place, including places I’d not been to in nearly 30 years! Denver, Seattle, Sunland, and places I have had great success in such as El Paso and Chicago. I’ve been busy! Which is a great thing!
I’ve done podcasts, FB lives of my rehearsals and heading in a direction of 24/7 broadcasting of my life. I feel I was born for it, you know? I live for that interaction I keep with Abox fans. I love this aspect of my life. We’ve grown up together. It’s a community in a real sense and not some made-up ‘tagline’. I love what I do and how the world interacts with me. And now, I really need your help.
I have been told that after the first phase, I should be able to do shows, but that I have to be careful. For a time, I’ll be on a near-liquid diet for 4 months (and again for a few weeks after the 2nd phase), but at the end of it all, I’ll be OK. I will get past it!
There. I got through telling you the first part. So this next part will be no surprise.
It’s going to cost me every penny of my savings and 401k. I won’t have a dime left to my name, and it will be a huge debt. As embarrassing as this is, it is the truth. I could, theoretically, put myself into tremendous debt, but I’m pretty depressed about getting into such a debt now that I’ve come so far to get out of it. Thing is, I have to do it whether I like it or not, without insurance and all.
It is going to cost $42K (based on about 20k for upper, and another 20k for lower). In order to get the surgery, I need about 20k down to start. While I was at the office they had me apply for a loan and I was accepted for 14k. And I put in the rest to make up that 20. The rest I will pay off however I can. I hate this part, but whatever you can do to help is heartfelt, and I will be indebted to you forever because of it.
I have this crippling fear of using all my savings for my health, with nothing to keep me going while I weather the storm of it all. The whole thing gives me frightening visions, to say the least. My thoughts are louder than ever in my head. What can I do? Where do I turn?
For one thing, I am turning my creativity towards an answer, as simply asking for money for nothing is not my way. But I need the help, and there are things I have as assets that can help me. I have my music, and I have my art. These are my only true assets. So I expect to be selling as much art/music as I can to get through this year’s hardship.
So this is why I started this. I’m asking for some help, and rather than just take a handout, I would like to offer up ways in which you can help me out. All ideas are welcome, and I will keep you all updated as I go through all of this. In the end, I think I will come out of it OK.
During my ‘downtime’, I will paint, prepare some releases, and sell some art. My hope is that I’ll bring that 45k figure down, and get past this period in time unscathed. I’m an optimist. I think I will be fine. I believe it. And look, if all you want to do is send me a good vibe or a prayer, that's OK!
I truly thank you for reading this. I hope to be 100% before this year is over, and any vibes, thoughts you send my way are both loved and appreciated.
Love,
Claude
Organizer
Claudio Marcelo Strilio
Organizer
Long Beach, CA
