Esteban's Emergency Surgery and Recovery Fund

At the beginning of June, I was hospitalized and diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). For the next month, I was having severe issues with nausea, lightheadedness, disorientation, concentration, and headaches. When I was reexamined in the hospital, they sent me home believing that these were simply symptoms of an MS flare-up. Weeks later, I was rushed to the emergency room. It turns out that I had a stomach ulcer that had progressed so badly, it had perforated a major artery causing massive hemorrhaging that was only getting worse.

After two days of life-saving emergency procedures, I was stable. I recovered well enough that after I regained consciousness, I only needed to spend a day in the ICU and a few more in a regular hospital room. Since then, I have been recovering steadily, but with many complications. There have been serious issues such as anemia from the severe blood loss, intense stomach and chest pain, and neurological issues. I've needed to be re-evaluated and treated in the hospital since my surgery because of the unique circumstance of having such a severe life-threatening episode, the continuing damage of which is keeping me from receiving the best treatment I can for my recently diagnosed chronic illness.

We are still trying to gather the bills as they are processed. Between what we have received so far, unprocessed bills from recent return hospital trips, and the expensive followup care needed to ensure that my ulcer heals and doesn't cause a second life-threatening emergency, the increasing cost is quickly reaching $200,000. The hospital doesn't offer options for discounting the bill outside of paying in full, a lot of services such as ambulance and specialist bill separately, and much of the follow-up care I have had and will be receiving is increasing both those in hospital and outpatient costs. Payment plans are an option in some cases, especially for the bigger hospital bill that is the vast majority of the expense, but not for everything. Our asking goal of $20,000 is roughly 10% of our estimated financial need would barely cover the non-hospital costs, immediate healthcare needs, and hopefully at least a year of payments for the major hospital bill.

I want to be clear that any and all money raised will be used solely on medical bills and any extra funds raised beyond our initial goal will be applied to the grand total of bills and treatment costs. While my financial situation is not the best (I'm an uninsured, unemployed graduate student), I live with my amazing fiance and my best friend who can help me with basic day-to-day expenses. That being said, as much as they want to help, these bills are unfortunately astronomical and beyond our capabilities, especially with the current circumstances. Even more concerning is the fear of not being able to receive continuing treatment for this life-threatening ulcer, the damage done to my body during this health crisis, and my MS because of upfront out-of-pocket costs. 

It's hard to ask this, but please, if you can, considering donating. Any little bit truly helps.