The last few years have not been kind to my friend, Cas, but it isn’t in his nature to ask for help, so I’m asking for him. I hope you’ll share his story.

Three years ago Cas moved to another city, leaving a home he’d loved for thirty years to help a friend open a business. Becoming too financially-involved before realizing his business partner had a critical substance addiction. As a result, the company soon failing for reasons beyond Cas' control and his investment in it wiping-out most of his savings.

At the time, he was still recovering from an accident that shattered an arm and injured his back, resulting in multiple surgeries as well as a type of rapid-onset arthritis for damage to his spine. Leaving him with severe sciatica and, just for good measure, chronic fasciitis as well. Ruptures and air bubbles in tendons that can make every step a misery. All of which have only gotten worse. Then he learned he had cancer.

The first surgery for the tumors was more than just a failure but disaster as the surgical robot broke, locking-up mid-procedure when someone in the operating room damaged the computer-cable controlling it. Which left them with five rigid metal arms deep in his abdomen, each with instruments that had to be wriggled-out. This resulted in contusion to organs and, soon after, RSDS. A debilitating neuropathy doctors don’t fully understand but where nerves don’t heal as they should, that feels like fire or bolts of electricity in his gut. Further internal complications and/or the back-to-back surguries resulted in something called Surgical Shock, which can cause sepsis and organ failure.

Lawyers said he had every right to sue but that’s not who he is. That it was only an accident. Just to speak to that, to the sort of person he is, the first thing he did once he was able to get up and about at all, but still too weak to work, was volunteer with Big Brother’s. All while fighting an illegal attempt at eviction from his home. Again, another story but, happily at least, he won.

After the second operation for the cancer, as soon as he was released as stable-enough to return to his job, he did. A position in a busy nightclub he’d taken after his business venture failed the year before. Going from general manager of his own venue to a bar-back at age 54 in another. But he just couldn’t do it. Between acute fatigue for recovering organs and all the old and all-new pain, that and the labor-intensive nature of his duties, there were tasks he simply couldn’t physically do anymore without collapsing and was let-go within a month. Having been out of work since as health complications persist.

I think I'm the only one he's told any of this. Most of his friends are probably wondering why they don’t see him out and about giving his wry observations on life but there are days when only for the pain of RSDS alone he can barely move. This or that repercussions and treatments continue, his insurance not covering it all, and the debts are rapidly mounting.

He’s helped a great many others when they needed, I know. I was one of them. So I’m hoping now to do the same for him. If you have a few dollars you don’t need right now, or can share this campaign with any friends who might, there’s a kind if proudly-stubborn soul out there all pretty much alone right now who I know very much does.

Thank you.


Hi. Cas here.

I wish I had better news to report in my first update although things at the moment are that Living-Hell we hear about. Worse even, I'm afraid, than when my friend launched this campaign and so I very much want to thank everyone who has shown me the kindness they have. It's only for you that I still have a roof over my head.

And, Carla, Thank You! 

For over a year, actually almost two, I've rarely been able even to leave my home. If bed. Unable to return to work in any capacity that requires a set schedule for onset of CRPS. A syndrome of the affected nerves I can't adequately describe beyond strands of plasma in my gut. I often can't stand erect or even sit-up and, so far, every work-at-home scheme that desperation has seen me try has proven a scam. And worse [believe it or not], incredibly, there doesn't seem to be either market or demand for borderline old-geezer internet porn. Which, indeed, I could do. Well... as long as I could mostly simply just lay there, like I like.

Please don't mistake my humor for flippancy. It's how I cope. How I keep the darker demons at-bay as I lay there day after day in the quiet-alone.

One of my doctors now wants to try deadening my spine. I don't like the sound of that not one little bit, unsure yet of the risks, but that's we are. So, again, my most sincere gratitude to those who've given of both wallets and heart. 

But now... Moving-on from doom and gloom:

Once it was apparent that, rather than improve that I was only getting worse, that I'd have to start thinking outside the box in every way I could [like allowing this campaign], one of my ideas was a way I could at least give something back to any who pledge. This and maybe even mend some self-esteem. But rather than try and lay it all out here, let me give just the gist and, if it sounds like a hoot, like something you'd like to do, I'll give a link below to my little niche of the web, where you'll find all the particulars you need.

When I wasn't running clubs, and even when I was, in my free-time I always wrote fiction and, as it happens, I'm in the final edit of my maiden novel. Without it, without this to keep me grounded, I think I'd have long-since gone mad. A book that's part of a series which, come Hell or high-water, as they say, unless I abruptly drop-dead, I WILL PUBLISH. And my idea as simple as it is unique: That any who contribute to the campaign at all will be effusively thanked by name in the forward when I release but - more - as insane as it might very well sound and seem, there's also even a way to have yourself made-a-character and get written-in. This or even promote a business you have.

So, please, feel free to spread the word if you go to my webpage and like what you see.

No fundraiser or gimmick. of course, will solve anything long-term but, as I said, it will further help me to give some-something little back and, truth what it is - high among all my surviving dreamer-hopes is that maybe some eccentric publisher will stumble upon it and get as excited about the story as I am and that, ultimately, it'll be the best 'rags-to-riches story' since J.K. Rowling and Harry. Means, perhaps, by which I can tell the universe to just go... well, you know.

That I ain't 'done' quite just yet.

The internet has seen all far more unexpected and strange. 

So, all the specifics are here: http://spiritslinger.com/

Thanks, again, to you all!