A mountain of medical bills!
Donation protected
Hello! My name is Christina, I have Lupus, and I need your help!!
What is Lupus?
Well, it basically means my autoimmune system is attacking my body and can cause deadly complications. Having Lupus also means I can't be out in the sun for more than a few minutes, unless I am completely covered with a jacket or long sleeves, gloves, wide brimmed hat, long pants, etc. It causes extreme fatigue, constant pain, swollen joints, feeling horrible all the time (think about the worse flu you've ever had - now multiply that by 50, or 100 and you'll get an idea). This disease affects every aspect of my life. And if the disease doesn't make things worse, then the numerous (costly) medications that I take will! I recently learned that one of the medications I've been taking since I've been diagnosed has caused some irreversible issues with my spine, and I still have to take it when I have severe flare-ups.
What are the costs?
Not only do my medications cost a lot of money, but I have to see numerous doctors each month and go through lots of "fun" tests - I see myself as a "professional patient," I just wish it was a paying job! Over the course of four months I've paid almost $2,000 out of pocket towards my medical expenses. Also, because of my compromised immune system I can easily catch any communicable illnesses that are going around. And that often means a trip to the hospital emergency room (which is another huge out of pocket cost) and many days off work (again, a huge hit to my pocket), and the possibility of catching some illness from the hospital.
What else should you know?
I also take care of my ill mother. She has severe fibromyalgia, arthritis, severe back problems, among other issues. She hasn't been able to work for over seven years, and unfortunately her condition is only declining. One of her doctors said that if we don't find some kind of treatment for her, she will be permanently in a wheelchair in the near future. Due to my illness and constant pain I have a difficult time pushing her in a wheelchair. Good news: She was blessed with a motorized wheelchair. Bad news: we don't have a hitch/lift or a way to transport it in the car. So it really isn't helping her right now (and we could definitely use help to purchase a hitch/lift so she can finally use the chair). In Spring of 2017 she had a major health complication and ended up in the hospital for a while. We are still dealing with the after effects of that event and will continue to for the foreseeable future. Not to mention, last year her medical insurance dropped her so we have had to charge all of her medical bills. In February alone, her medical costs totaled over $9,000. She was also in the hospital twice in 2018.
So how can you help, you ask? Well, as you can tell our medical costs are outrageous. And due to the severity of my symptoms, I have missed a lot of work intermittently (which means no pay) and now have been out of work for a month so I really need help paying these medical bills. Any amount will help, and it will only go toward paying for medical needs for me and my mom.
I know times are tough for a lot of people right now, so I can't stress enough that any amount will help and be greatly appreciated!
Thank you for your time, kindness and donations!
What is Lupus?
Well, it basically means my autoimmune system is attacking my body and can cause deadly complications. Having Lupus also means I can't be out in the sun for more than a few minutes, unless I am completely covered with a jacket or long sleeves, gloves, wide brimmed hat, long pants, etc. It causes extreme fatigue, constant pain, swollen joints, feeling horrible all the time (think about the worse flu you've ever had - now multiply that by 50, or 100 and you'll get an idea). This disease affects every aspect of my life. And if the disease doesn't make things worse, then the numerous (costly) medications that I take will! I recently learned that one of the medications I've been taking since I've been diagnosed has caused some irreversible issues with my spine, and I still have to take it when I have severe flare-ups.
What are the costs?
Not only do my medications cost a lot of money, but I have to see numerous doctors each month and go through lots of "fun" tests - I see myself as a "professional patient," I just wish it was a paying job! Over the course of four months I've paid almost $2,000 out of pocket towards my medical expenses. Also, because of my compromised immune system I can easily catch any communicable illnesses that are going around. And that often means a trip to the hospital emergency room (which is another huge out of pocket cost) and many days off work (again, a huge hit to my pocket), and the possibility of catching some illness from the hospital.
What else should you know?
I also take care of my ill mother. She has severe fibromyalgia, arthritis, severe back problems, among other issues. She hasn't been able to work for over seven years, and unfortunately her condition is only declining. One of her doctors said that if we don't find some kind of treatment for her, she will be permanently in a wheelchair in the near future. Due to my illness and constant pain I have a difficult time pushing her in a wheelchair. Good news: She was blessed with a motorized wheelchair. Bad news: we don't have a hitch/lift or a way to transport it in the car. So it really isn't helping her right now (and we could definitely use help to purchase a hitch/lift so she can finally use the chair). In Spring of 2017 she had a major health complication and ended up in the hospital for a while. We are still dealing with the after effects of that event and will continue to for the foreseeable future. Not to mention, last year her medical insurance dropped her so we have had to charge all of her medical bills. In February alone, her medical costs totaled over $9,000. She was also in the hospital twice in 2018.
So how can you help, you ask? Well, as you can tell our medical costs are outrageous. And due to the severity of my symptoms, I have missed a lot of work intermittently (which means no pay) and now have been out of work for a month so I really need help paying these medical bills. Any amount will help, and it will only go toward paying for medical needs for me and my mom.
I know times are tough for a lot of people right now, so I can't stress enough that any amount will help and be greatly appreciated!
Thank you for your time, kindness and donations!
Organizer
Christina Hernandez
Organizer
Brea, CA
