Amy Benchich

Hi friends. I think most of the people I know are friends with Amy, or friends with her father, Al Benchich. If so, you know that Amy has struggled with her health for many years. She has finally been able to get onto disability, but unfortunately, medical costs are high and many procedures are not covered.

Her struggles for the last six months would test the strongest person. She has esophageal problems, which is keeping her from eating enough food. If anything she eats has almost any bulk or fiber, her body rejects it. This causes stomach acids to burn away her teeth enamel. As a result, she has had to have several teeth removed, which means even if she could eat, she could not chew it properly, which causes her to vomit, which causes acids, which burn away her tooth enamel. It’s a horrible cycle.

To make things worse, the dentist who removed several teeth last week would not give her pain shots, only numbing shots. Why? Because her disability insurance would not pay for them. Read that sentence again, friends. She received the most basic numbing then molars were extracted.

Until her docs can get her esophageal issues under control, this is Amy’s life. Our beautiful friend is practically skeletal and is very weak. If we can raise enough money to send her to a oral surgeon and get proper, 21st century care, she will bounce back like Amy always does. If you are friends with her on Facebook, you will read her constant advocacy for people with no voice, spelled out with intelligence and the integrity she is known for. Also her wicked sense of humor, which is wearing thin right now.

Amy is not as angry as I am. She also really hates to ask for help. I am grateful she allowed me to reach out to you all.

I wish Medicare covered teeth and vision, but it does not. It’s completely beyond me how this can happen in this country but here we are. For my brave hilarious brilliant friend, please consider donating as much as you can.