Casey Stinson Lifeline
Donation protected
Hi all,
Thank you. Your donations have been key to keeping Casey safe, in shelter, fed and moving towards recovery.
We had hoped that the last round of donations would be the last ask, but here we are again having to ask for more help for Casey.
Skip Helm, Dave Risser and myself have been working to help Casey try to figure out what is going on with his health and get him back on track. It has been a learning experience for us and for Casey on what can cause a person to suffer from a debilitating issue with little to no prognosis from the doctors he sees.
To start, we want you know that your money has been well spent. Dave, Skip and I watch his spending and help guide his treatment plan. Dave does a monthly/daily budget for Casey and has full visibility to where the money is going. (At this poiint it is only on essentials. Most treatments have ceased) Each week we discuss best paths and update each other, we take him to appointments when needed and Dave has even attended doctor visits. The three of us spend hours per week helping the process, but we could not and can not do this without your continued support. As it stands Casey can not pay rent for November which is due in a few weeks. He will be homeless if someone doesn't step in.
Our plan this time around is to raise enough that we can move forward with some treatment and procedures that have come up as roadblocks to Casey's recovery. You will read about the plan in his update below. You may not understand or agree with his treatment plan but we still hope that you can trust in the process enough to continue to help.
This time we have an immediate goal of $50,000. This will cover 6 months of living expenses, medication, doctors visits, small cushion for unexpected items and will hopefully be the thing that will get Casey back on track and able to re-join us all in life.
Quick re-cap: As you all know, it has been a hard few years for Casey. When he was let go from Barton Creek in January of 2018 he was already very sick. While many who looked at him thought he looked fine, the reality was very different. He could barely get out of bed in the morning. With the loss of his job at Barton Creek he was without insurance, income and hope. He can not physically work. He suffers from something that is causing severe Chronic Fatigue and he can not hold down or do basic functions.
It has been only through the charitable help of many Barton Creek members and friends that Casey has not ended up homeless or worse.
Casey has been to see many traditional Doctors as well as holistic ones. His condition is not getting better but we are all continuing to try and help him figure it out. Traditional doctors have not been able to give him a diagnosis and the holistic doctor has given us some hope in a treatment plan that starts with some dental work that will be the first thing done once he has some funds.
We have been working with Bill Leighton, BC Member and attorney to help Casey try and get Social Security Disability. Casey has been denied twice and is now going to the final appeal stage which is a sort of trial but that appeal is still in process. He has also applied twice for SNAP benefits but he has yet to receive any benefits. Dave Risser is heading that up and is working tirelessly to help Casey with that.
In the meantime Casey has not given up but his situation has become even more dire than before. He is totally out of money. He can't afford any Doctor visits, meds or even rent and is facing being homeless as early as this next month.
If you can find it in your budget to help him keep afloat please do so. If you are unable to help financially, please post this on your facebook page, send to friends and/or reach out to Casey with your encouragement.
He really needs more help. Please see his post for more detailed info. If you want to talk with Dave, Skip and/or myself to get more info from us please let me know and I can arrange a time for a call.
Thank you again for your time and help for Casey.
Chase Kelly, David Risser and Skip Helm
FROM CASEY:
Hi Everyone,
I’d like to share the latest with each of you. The new direction I’m headed in treatment wise is very promising. The initial 30 day course of medication and treatment has been completed. It was challenging for me, however, I was able to get through it. Thankfully, I was recently able to fly to St. Louis again and have my first follow-up appt. with Dr. Yu. The trip went well. Dr. Yu said I responded just as he had hoped from the initial treatments. As we move forward he talked to me about addressing “layers” one at a time. Each specific treatment and therapy is designed to help my brain/body and immune system get stronger which in turn will increase my body’s ability to heal and recover. I do feel this first round of treatment addressed one of these “layers” my doctor refers to during his examinations.
It’s all very encouraging. I feel strongly I am on the right path and am very anxious to move forward towards the next phase of treatments. One of the other discussions Dr. Yu and I have had is with regards to the pain in my jaw. At times this pain radiates in my ear, neck and even down into my shoulder. There is still a “knot” along my jaw line where the lymph nodes are which concerns me. My doctor believes there is still an infection in there and wants me to have this treated ASAP. Not only is it important to have this oral surgery done to eliminate the infection, Dr. Yu believes it’s most likely having a systemic impact on my autoimmune condition. So in essence, this is another one of these “layers” that needs treatment. As of right now, I have had two initial consultations and one more scheduled in a couple weeks - with an oral surgeon here is Austin. In addition, Dr. Yu wants a few more lab tests done ASAP before he puts me on the next round of meds and treatments. In the meantime, he views my oral surgery (to clean out the infections) as a top priority and has prescribed medication to coincide with the surgery.
Unfortunately the news on my disability coverage is disappointing. As many of you know disability has been a high priority for me to help continue medical care and sustain minimum food/shelter essential living expenses (until I can get well and resume working). I’m also told I would automatically qualify for Medicare once disability is approved - which would be HUGE. Recently I’ve learned that only about 30 percent of people that apply for disability get approved when they file. The rest have to request a court hearing with a judge. Unfortunately I fall into this category and it’s a VERY slow process. I have already filed for the disability hearing but am still waiting for a court date to be assigned. It’s been brought to my attention that I am probably looking at six months or longer before a court hearing decision. My lawyer believes I will eventually get approved. It’s just a question of when. With a decision being so far out I’m forced to explore other possibilities. It’s tough to think about but I have no choice. I have to figure out a way to survive and keep fighting this debilitating disease. Finding a way to sustain medical treatment and minimum essential food/shelter expenses is all I think about achieving right now.
I had really hoped disability would of been approved by now and I wouldn’t have to try and raise additional funds. Unfortunately that’s not the case. My basic living expenses, combined with my expected oral surgery and medical needs for this six month period is in the 25k - 30k range. Of this, over 65% is related to my health and medical needs. I am trying to raise this money for the following: oral surgery, very important additional lab tests, future meds/treatments/therapies, trips back to see my doctor in St. Louis and basic food/shelter living essentials. It’s a huge sum that I am a struggling to deal with, especially given how everyone has already done so much to help me. Along with trying to raise funds through GoFundMe, I am exploring a number of other options which includes medical charitable organizations, attempting to find work which is flexible enough to accommodate my changing condition and as a last resort taking on debt. I welcome any suggestions anyone might have for ways to help raise additional funds. Your support and generosity continues to be an absolute life saver. I am and always will be eternally grateful for your wonderful and thoughtful help!
One last thing I would like to stress is that I truly am making progress. I believe (as does Dr. Yu) that my health can and will be restored so I can start living my life again. Thanks to each of you I have the opportunity to be treated by Dr. Yu and have many treatments and therapies that make a huge difference in helping me feel and get better. The biggest hurdle in all of this is the disability benefits component. Often I have to pull back on therapies and treatments (or even stop for a period of time), delay doctor requested lab tests and hold off on seeing additional doctors to compliment Dr. Yu. Disability benefits would provide for a modest income to help with my expenses and, once approved, it can qualify me for medicaid, which will assist with my medical needs. If it weren’t for each of you, things would be much worse. So, please know that each of your wonderful donations are very much helping give me hope and a fighting chance to recover while I continue to wait on disability being approved.
I continue to think about each of you during these difficult times. I really miss seeing everyone and hearing about the things going on in your lives. I hope everyone is remaining positive, upbeat and still able to find joy each day of your lives. I wish everyone the very best and as always feel free to contact me if you would like to chat. It always cheers me up to hear from each of you!
Please take care and stay healthy!!
God bless you all,
Casey Stinson
512.983.2887
[email redacted]
Thank you. Your donations have been key to keeping Casey safe, in shelter, fed and moving towards recovery.
We had hoped that the last round of donations would be the last ask, but here we are again having to ask for more help for Casey.
Skip Helm, Dave Risser and myself have been working to help Casey try to figure out what is going on with his health and get him back on track. It has been a learning experience for us and for Casey on what can cause a person to suffer from a debilitating issue with little to no prognosis from the doctors he sees.
To start, we want you know that your money has been well spent. Dave, Skip and I watch his spending and help guide his treatment plan. Dave does a monthly/daily budget for Casey and has full visibility to where the money is going. (At this poiint it is only on essentials. Most treatments have ceased) Each week we discuss best paths and update each other, we take him to appointments when needed and Dave has even attended doctor visits. The three of us spend hours per week helping the process, but we could not and can not do this without your continued support. As it stands Casey can not pay rent for November which is due in a few weeks. He will be homeless if someone doesn't step in.
Our plan this time around is to raise enough that we can move forward with some treatment and procedures that have come up as roadblocks to Casey's recovery. You will read about the plan in his update below. You may not understand or agree with his treatment plan but we still hope that you can trust in the process enough to continue to help.
This time we have an immediate goal of $50,000. This will cover 6 months of living expenses, medication, doctors visits, small cushion for unexpected items and will hopefully be the thing that will get Casey back on track and able to re-join us all in life.
Quick re-cap: As you all know, it has been a hard few years for Casey. When he was let go from Barton Creek in January of 2018 he was already very sick. While many who looked at him thought he looked fine, the reality was very different. He could barely get out of bed in the morning. With the loss of his job at Barton Creek he was without insurance, income and hope. He can not physically work. He suffers from something that is causing severe Chronic Fatigue and he can not hold down or do basic functions.
It has been only through the charitable help of many Barton Creek members and friends that Casey has not ended up homeless or worse.
Casey has been to see many traditional Doctors as well as holistic ones. His condition is not getting better but we are all continuing to try and help him figure it out. Traditional doctors have not been able to give him a diagnosis and the holistic doctor has given us some hope in a treatment plan that starts with some dental work that will be the first thing done once he has some funds.
We have been working with Bill Leighton, BC Member and attorney to help Casey try and get Social Security Disability. Casey has been denied twice and is now going to the final appeal stage which is a sort of trial but that appeal is still in process. He has also applied twice for SNAP benefits but he has yet to receive any benefits. Dave Risser is heading that up and is working tirelessly to help Casey with that.
In the meantime Casey has not given up but his situation has become even more dire than before. He is totally out of money. He can't afford any Doctor visits, meds or even rent and is facing being homeless as early as this next month.
If you can find it in your budget to help him keep afloat please do so. If you are unable to help financially, please post this on your facebook page, send to friends and/or reach out to Casey with your encouragement.
He really needs more help. Please see his post for more detailed info. If you want to talk with Dave, Skip and/or myself to get more info from us please let me know and I can arrange a time for a call.
Thank you again for your time and help for Casey.
Chase Kelly, David Risser and Skip Helm
FROM CASEY:
Hi Everyone,
I’d like to share the latest with each of you. The new direction I’m headed in treatment wise is very promising. The initial 30 day course of medication and treatment has been completed. It was challenging for me, however, I was able to get through it. Thankfully, I was recently able to fly to St. Louis again and have my first follow-up appt. with Dr. Yu. The trip went well. Dr. Yu said I responded just as he had hoped from the initial treatments. As we move forward he talked to me about addressing “layers” one at a time. Each specific treatment and therapy is designed to help my brain/body and immune system get stronger which in turn will increase my body’s ability to heal and recover. I do feel this first round of treatment addressed one of these “layers” my doctor refers to during his examinations.
It’s all very encouraging. I feel strongly I am on the right path and am very anxious to move forward towards the next phase of treatments. One of the other discussions Dr. Yu and I have had is with regards to the pain in my jaw. At times this pain radiates in my ear, neck and even down into my shoulder. There is still a “knot” along my jaw line where the lymph nodes are which concerns me. My doctor believes there is still an infection in there and wants me to have this treated ASAP. Not only is it important to have this oral surgery done to eliminate the infection, Dr. Yu believes it’s most likely having a systemic impact on my autoimmune condition. So in essence, this is another one of these “layers” that needs treatment. As of right now, I have had two initial consultations and one more scheduled in a couple weeks - with an oral surgeon here is Austin. In addition, Dr. Yu wants a few more lab tests done ASAP before he puts me on the next round of meds and treatments. In the meantime, he views my oral surgery (to clean out the infections) as a top priority and has prescribed medication to coincide with the surgery.
Unfortunately the news on my disability coverage is disappointing. As many of you know disability has been a high priority for me to help continue medical care and sustain minimum food/shelter essential living expenses (until I can get well and resume working). I’m also told I would automatically qualify for Medicare once disability is approved - which would be HUGE. Recently I’ve learned that only about 30 percent of people that apply for disability get approved when they file. The rest have to request a court hearing with a judge. Unfortunately I fall into this category and it’s a VERY slow process. I have already filed for the disability hearing but am still waiting for a court date to be assigned. It’s been brought to my attention that I am probably looking at six months or longer before a court hearing decision. My lawyer believes I will eventually get approved. It’s just a question of when. With a decision being so far out I’m forced to explore other possibilities. It’s tough to think about but I have no choice. I have to figure out a way to survive and keep fighting this debilitating disease. Finding a way to sustain medical treatment and minimum essential food/shelter expenses is all I think about achieving right now.
I had really hoped disability would of been approved by now and I wouldn’t have to try and raise additional funds. Unfortunately that’s not the case. My basic living expenses, combined with my expected oral surgery and medical needs for this six month period is in the 25k - 30k range. Of this, over 65% is related to my health and medical needs. I am trying to raise this money for the following: oral surgery, very important additional lab tests, future meds/treatments/therapies, trips back to see my doctor in St. Louis and basic food/shelter living essentials. It’s a huge sum that I am a struggling to deal with, especially given how everyone has already done so much to help me. Along with trying to raise funds through GoFundMe, I am exploring a number of other options which includes medical charitable organizations, attempting to find work which is flexible enough to accommodate my changing condition and as a last resort taking on debt. I welcome any suggestions anyone might have for ways to help raise additional funds. Your support and generosity continues to be an absolute life saver. I am and always will be eternally grateful for your wonderful and thoughtful help!
One last thing I would like to stress is that I truly am making progress. I believe (as does Dr. Yu) that my health can and will be restored so I can start living my life again. Thanks to each of you I have the opportunity to be treated by Dr. Yu and have many treatments and therapies that make a huge difference in helping me feel and get better. The biggest hurdle in all of this is the disability benefits component. Often I have to pull back on therapies and treatments (or even stop for a period of time), delay doctor requested lab tests and hold off on seeing additional doctors to compliment Dr. Yu. Disability benefits would provide for a modest income to help with my expenses and, once approved, it can qualify me for medicaid, which will assist with my medical needs. If it weren’t for each of you, things would be much worse. So, please know that each of your wonderful donations are very much helping give me hope and a fighting chance to recover while I continue to wait on disability being approved.
I continue to think about each of you during these difficult times. I really miss seeing everyone and hearing about the things going on in your lives. I hope everyone is remaining positive, upbeat and still able to find joy each day of your lives. I wish everyone the very best and as always feel free to contact me if you would like to chat. It always cheers me up to hear from each of you!
Please take care and stay healthy!!
God bless you all,
Casey Stinson
512.983.2887
[email redacted]
Fundraising team (2)
Chase Kelly
Organizer
Austin, TX
Casey Stinson
Beneficiary
Dave Risser
Team member
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