WE HIT OUR GOAL!
Thank you all SO much! We are going to keep the fundraiser going because I am positive there will be unexpected expenses that show up as the bills roll in. Annie and I have been unbelievably blessed by you all. Our lives changed in like 3 weeks time. We will never forget that.
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UPDATE: First of all, thank you so much to everyone who have supported us already. You have already been a huge blessing on this journey. Unfortunately, our journey has gotten more complicated.
We finally received the bill for the emergency room visit, and it came out to $18,000. We are in the process of working through several different means of getting it cut down, but we do not have much certainty on the topic yet.
Additionally, we learned that Annie has 3 cysts on her ovaries and in addition to removing the endometriosis, we have to deal with those cysts as well. I got an estimate from the doctor's office and it came out to just under $16,000. In order to try to be financially responsible, I took on a part time job at Starbucks to gain health insurance before the surgery. The process would take about 4-5 months of work, so we scheduled the surgery for May, so that I could complete the required steps to receive health insurance.
For the last 4 months, that has been our situation; me working 60+ hours per week between my business and Starbucks, Annie's pain slowly getting worse, and us holding out for the date that we receive health insurance.
We have just learned that, due to some fine print, Starbucks will not be providing health insurance in the necessary window of time for the surgery. This has caused us to scramble for solutions.
I have increased the goal of our GoFundMe and will continue to update you all as we have information regarding the details of the surgery and financial routes we can take. If you have already contributed, thank you so much. The generosity we were shown in December was overwhelming and we have felt deeply loved and cared for by you all.
ORIGINAL POST: For the last 3 years, my wife and I have built our relationship around her endometriosis. We make plans and hold them loosely, because we never know if she will be in too much pain to go out, we find ways to have meaningful date nights at home, and we live off my income, because the endometriosis has made it impossible to find a job. Surgery to remove the endometriosis never seemed like an option due to finances and we learned how to make do with our circumstances.
That started to change about 6 months ago.
Annie’s pain began to increase. At first it was just deeper pain; more pain killers, more heating pads. Gradually, the pain began to last longer, often taking several weeks to go away, and returning sometimes less than one week later. Then came the nausea; even the slightest task would keep her away and vomiting all night. This became a semi common occurrence.
One night in September, the pain became so severe that Annie’s vision blacked out. After one long night in the ER, the doctor simply prescribed some pain killers and told us to go home.
Today, Annie spends 90% of her time bedridden and either in too much pain to focus, or too loopy from the pain killers. After doing extensive research and talking with some trusted friends, we have found a facility in Minneapolis to begin her path to surgery.
So here is what is in front of us: an ultrasound, a consult, and a surgery. Over the next 4-5 months, we will be walking through the process of removing the endometriosis and giving Annie her life back. The ultrasound is scheduled for mid-November, the consult for late December, and the surgery should happen around March or April 2026. I am working like mad to bring in the funds to pay our bills and put money into this surgery, but if there is a world where Annie’s healing doesn’t have to wait for my financial success, I will take it.
While numbers are still a little unknown, it looks like the process will likely cost about $7k-$8k in total. Any support you give means the world to us. Thank you all for thinking of us and helping us on this journey.
SOME FAQs:
“Won’t the endometriosis come back?”
Yes, this laparoscopic surgery is to remove the endometriosis currently in her body, but it will come back slowly over time. Typical estimations are about 6-7 years before the pain begins to come back. The only way to truly remove it is through a hysterectomy and Annie and I currently see that as a last resort.
“Can your health insurance cover it?”
We recently joined a HealthShare plan and are learning that they do not cover preexisting conditions for the first 2 years you are on the plan, which means either Annie stays in pain for the next year and a half, or we are on our own. It’s frustrating that the least helpful version of healthcare is the christian one, but it is what it is.
“If the surgery is significantly less than you expected, what will you do with the extra funds?”
If that happens to be the case, we will dedicate the funds toward continued health maintenance for Annie, whether that’s prescriptions, check-ups, or ancillary surgery that's our on the docket (carpal tunnel surgery, for instance).
“Is there any other way we can help beyond finances?”
It’s really just the cost of the surgery. It has been challenging keeping up with house/life stuff while Annie is largely in too much pain to help, but the sooner we get this surgery, the sooner she can help manage those things with me. Prayers are always appreciated, but beyond that, it’s just a matter of funding this surgery.