David's Leg Medical Costs

Hello friends,

Ever since I was young I have had issues with back pain, foot pain, and knee pain. In the past 10 years, I have had to deal with often excruciating pain in my foot, knee, and back (such as gout). Being in an industry that promotes sedentary lifestyles, it can be hard to find the time and effort to work out, but even when I did the pain from my knees was always a problem. I would often avoid using my left leg without realizing it because the pain in my knee would be too great. I tried to compensate for this by using a standing/sitting desk but I would often find myself just sitting all day to avoid the knee pain. It would come and go, and I avoided doing anything about these pains for a long time because I simply didn't have the insurance. Now I do, but it admittedly isn't the best insurance out there, and I am left paying a high deductible.

About a month ago I inexplicably was hit with severe pain in my knees, specifically my left knee. It got bad enough that I couldn't walk or stand without a cane, and I had to work from home for several days just to avoid using stairs. Usually, the pain subsides, but this time it was slow to recover and was accompanied by more worrying symptoms. My left leg was incredibly weak and I couldn't straighten my leg fully, lock my knee, or lift my leg. I decided I had put off treatment long enough and went to the doctor.

To my dismay, we discovered not only was my knee a problem, but several muscles in my leg had atrophied. This only happens over a long period of time, but the doctor noticed it immediately. Unfortunately, it was outside her expertise, and she suggested I see a specialist. So my journey of trying to figure out what is wrong with me began. I have seen general practitioners, an osteopath, a physical therapist, a chiropractor, massage therapists, a rheumatologist, and a neurologist. No one has yet been able to pin down the cause of my pain and atrophied muscles. I have plans to see an orthopedic surgeon next to focus on my knee pain, however, the costs have started to add up to a point where I can no longer afford the tests to figure out what is wrong with me, let alone the treatment.

Right now I need 5 fMRIs. 3 of my spine, 1 of my thigh, and 1 of my knee. I need to take either an EMG or an NCS (depending on what the neurologist decides) to measure my neural connectivity. On top of that, I do not even know what additional tests the orthopedic surgeon will need, but x-rays are most likely. Depending on what they find I will likely either need extensive physical therapy, injections, knee or back surgery, medication, or a combination of things.

While we don't know what the problem is yet, there are a few troubling possibilities that have come up that we haven't yet ruled out, and these tests are vital to figuring out if I have any of these conditions.
One would be Lou Gehrig's disease. While it is unlikely that I have this, without these tests we can't eliminate the possibility. Yes, this is a fatal degenerative disease, so the sooner I can test for it the better.
Another is Kennedy's disease. This rare disease is far less fatal but just as degenerative and likely to lead to a lifetime of treatment and therapy.
Besides these, the most likely causes include either a problem in my spine, which they can address with surgery, or a complication of arthritis and gout in my knee which has led to subconsciously avoiding using my leg and led to atrophy in my muscles.

This has gotten severe enough that my doctor is recommending I get a handicap tag for my car. I have started to take DDPYoga classes to help, and thanks in part to this I have been able to talk without my cane lately, but I am still very weak in the legs and have fallen recently. I still stumble and my knee has difficulty holding my weight at times.

While it is likely only arthritis in my knee, I need to run these tests to rule out the more serious problems. Right now my insurance has a $5,000 deductible, meaning they won't pay a cent out until I have paid $5,000 out-of-pocket. Many of the places I have gone to don't even accept my insurance so I have had to pay out-of-pocket without it counting toward my deductible, making it harder to reach it. Currently, each MRI costs about $500, and I will have to pay upfront at least half the costs and then the rest over the next 2 months.  With all the doctor visits, tests, and everything else going on, I am well on my way to meeting that deductible. That is why I have set the goal, at least for now, at my deductible of $5,000. If I find the insurance doesn't cover everything, I will need to adjust my funding options.

Outside of medical costs, there is also therapy and fitness costs to consider. I have only 90 days to get at least $900 together in order to afford the first round of MRI tests (for my back) before the imaging order expires. However, that is a bare minimum, and ultimately any treatment I receive will bring me over that $5000 limit. I have already had to cancel tests just because I can't afford them right now, which is why I am turning to GoFundMe. Without some financial assistance, I will be unable to afford these important tests to see if I have something serious. If you are willing and able to give something small, it would help in a big way.