Craig Daniel Moan Family Medical Relief

Hola, and welcome to Live Aid 2023 Middle Tennessee Edition! Thanks for clicking the link to get here. That shows that you have some sort of interest in Craig, Kelsey, and/or their precious son, Gideon. I won't judge you for it; I'm in the same boat. :))))

I'm Andrew from Nashville, a friend of Craig's, and we're just setting this up to try to help Craig and Kelsey put a dent in the enormous debt of $35,000+ (and growing) that has accumulated as Craig navigates this frightening medical journey. The funds raised will go toward that debt. I'll tell you a little bit about how much I love Craig and then get into the...potatoes (no meat here).

I was lucky enough to meet Craig almost as soon as I moved to Nashville in 2008. We were bonded instantly as Manchester Orchestra and Colour Revolt coursed through the backyard of the new rental I recently occupied in the arts capital of the world, East Nashville. We've been close ever since (although he refuses to experience live music with me now that we're in our 40s), and I'm still the biggest fan of him to this day and for as long as I live for that matter.

Behind Craig's curmudgeon-ey (I'm making it a word - relax) disposition lies a Garden of Eden of humanity. He possesses every good and holy characteristic you could ever hope for - a shoe-in for a favorite kind of friend. His completely unique concoction of qualities have set him up to be an outstanding husband and father. It is a gift to get to enjoy him, and that's an understatement.

Recently, medical issues have been overwhelming his family. Bills for appointments, tests, office visits, and treatment have tipped an avalanche that feels impossible to navigate, which is why I'm hoping the community of friends and family around them can all rally together to help in the GREAT time of need. If you can donate $5 or $5,000, it would be MUCH appreciated. Even if you can't donate anything, which is completely understandable, sharing the link here would be immensely helpful.

Thank you in advance for your time and generosity. You are loved!

Here's what's going on with Craig:

Craig was diagnosed with a condition called Drusen (Yeah, we never heard of it either.) in 2014. Drusen is typically found in male adults over 50 years old. The effects of the Drusen resulted in the dying off of blood cells to the eyes, causing partial blindness in his right eye. They also found Drusen in his left eye, but his vision was not affected - that is, until February of 2023. Craig finally caught Covid in the last week of January and, as a result, started to notice vision issues in his left eye. Upon seeing the doctor, he was thought to have MS (multiple sclerosis) so he was immediately sent to the ER. They kept him there for 4 days while he underwent scans, steroid drips, and a lumbar puncture. Thankfully, the results came back negative for MS. However, the diagnosis of the vision loss was still undetermined.

A few weeks went by and Craig’s vision started to get worse. He was sent back to the ER, but this time he went to Vanderbilt where they underwent similar testing. He had to receive a second lumbar puncture (due to faulty results from the previous procedure). During the testing they found what they thought may be a hematoma behind his right ear. He was sent to an ENT doctor to have that evaluated. Due to some other infection in his right ear, he has lost some hearing and the ear bone has deteriorated. The hematoma is thought to actually be additional fluid from that infection. He has to go back again for a checkup in October to see if surgery is required. Craig has since then had to get endoscopic lithotripsy surgery, due to another kidney stone blockage. He has continuously battled with kidney stones since living in Nashville.

During these six months, Craig has been in and out of the ER 4 times as well as countless doctor visits. He has been diagnosed with Neuropathy caused by Drusen. The daily task of managing his day-to-day activities puts a strain on his eyes and makes it harder to focus on things like his graphic design work, which requires staring at a screen for hours at a time. (See his outstanding work here.) The diagnosis has no cure and he only has 40% clear vision remaining in his left eye. If that changes one more time, he will be legally blind in both eyes. This, of course, means he will no longer be able to drive, read, etc. In addition, he was also diagnosed with a dangerous level of Sleep Apnea and has since been on a cpap machine to help reduce the problems and risks associated with Apnea. He also deals with bouts of dizziness that is still trying to be addressed along with experimenting with anxiety medication.

All of these visits, treatments, procedures, medications and new devices have come at a pretty hefty financial cost. Most of you know that Craig is a stay-at-home father to a beautiful boy named Gideon. In addition, he is also a freelance graphic designer. His freelance work has taken a major hit this year as he has been recovering and now adjusting to trying to work with sensitive eyesight and very limited vision. This new reality has caused a large amount of financial burden, which Craig and his family are trying hard to get out from under.

“The daily possibility of losing the last of what little vision that I have left is a scary thing to deal with. But every morning that I wake and can still see my beautiful wife and son’s face is a good day. I won’t ever take that for granted.”

Any amount, no matter how small, will be such a blessing. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your kind words, prayers, consideration and encouragement!

Let's rally! $35,000 would be a DREAM, but we'll set the initial goal of $15,000. Maybe we can blow that number away. Thank you so much for considering, donating, and sharing the link! -AC