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Ransom's Day Care costs

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In April 2016, my doctor prescribed a fluoroquinolone antibiotic, Levaquin, for my sore throat. Fluoroquinolones have detrimental side effects: neuropathy, tendon damage, neurological damage and more. In July 2016, the FDA required the drug manufacturers to add a new warning to these drugs: “Because the risk of these serious side effects generally outweighs the benefits for patients with acute bacterial sinusitis, acute exacerbation of chronic bronchitis and uncomplicated urinary tract infections, the FDA has determined that fluoroquinolones should be reserved for use in patients with these conditions who have no alternative treatment options.”

Unfortunately, this warning came too late for me. I had an adverse reaction and developed severe side effects. The toxic effects on my body are lingering and have greatly disabled me. The damage is at a cellular level and the chemical has caused my CNS to be hypersensitive and my body to heal very slowly. I have three health issues working against me at all times. There is tendinopathy (actual tendon damage) in all of my tendons (hands, wrists, forearms, elbows, shoulders, back, neck, hips, knees, ankles and feet). I have neuropathy in my hands, arms, feet and legs, including burning and tingling in my extremities on a constant basis. There may be permanent damage in my left ulnar nerve. Third, my eye prescription has shifted since taking this drug: more than a person should experience in their entire lifetime. The damage in my eyes has limited my driving, ability to read and I am unable to focus and track moving objects. Ultimately, it is very hard for me to do normal daily activities. I have about 5-15 minutes in the morning before the pain builds to an overwhelming amount, which lasts days. As a result, I have been unable to work for almost five months.

Being disabled has been a very humbling experience. The most humbling experience is not being able to provide for my son. I am physically incapable of taking care of Ransom. While I am on disability, he is unable to stay home from school. We tried keeping him home for a few weeks to save money, but I literally could not change his diapers, bathe him, cook for him, play with him or take him to the playground, because of my pain. Unfortunately, we had to enroll him back into school. My disability checks, plus April's income, are not sufficient for the cost of his tuition. We have personally tried to cut unnecessary costs as much as we can: no meals out, no gifts for birthdays, we cut our cable bill, closed out our storage unit, cancelled subscriptions, and I've even tried selling things on eBay. Despite doing these things we still need help. We need help from our friends and family.

Please consider making a contribution to our GoFundMe during this challenging time to help us cover Ransom's school tuition. 

Ransom attends a child development center that is accredited through the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), and they maintain the highest standards in early childhood education and care. I cannot say enough good things about his school. The teachers and staff all have degrees and backgrounds in education/child development, and they provide a strong environment to learn and grow. The center is a truly supportive place and has given Ransom the stability and community he needs during this difficult time at home. It is not an elite private school, but was created to help single or low income parents who are pursuing higher education at the institution where April works.  

Thank you for visiting our GoFundMe page. It shows that you care about our family and what we have been going through these past few months. Please keep all of us in your thoughts and prayers.

Have a blessed day,

Nick
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Donations 

  • April House
    • $40 
    • 7 yrs
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Organizer

Nicolas Cole
Organizer
San Jose, CA
  • Other

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