Aden's Path to Healing and Hope

I would like to introduce my son Aden. He is currently a high school senior, and one of the brightest, kindest and most caring people I know.

Aden’s story is a fairly typical one. Growing up in Humboldt County, Aden was a very active kid; on the high school wrestling team, in student government, had a wonderful circle of friends, involved in FFA, and maintained a 4.0 grade point average.

This all came to a grinding halt in November of 2021, when Aden developed severe abdominal pain which quickly became excruciating. After three visits to the ER, doctors decided emergency surgery was necessary to remove his gallbladder, which had ruptured. Even after the surgery, the pain did not go away. Aden was then referred to UCSF Children’s Hospital in an effort to find the source of his suffering. Medications were prescribed, and therapies, both medical and alternative, were tried. Nothing really helped. He couldn’t go to school, so school came to him (Home & Hospital). Finally, after 10 months, Aden was able to get into physical therapy, and it began to work. Aden’s pain became tolerable and he was able to walk his dog down the block and back, complete some household chores, and visit with friends. He was even able to return to a few classes at school, and participate in the homecoming court his junior year. Then, after 6 weeks of PT, his practitioner left the practice suddenly, and there was no one available to continue Aden’s therapy. Since then, Aden has been on the waiting list for a physical therapy group that takes my insurance. During this time, the prescribed pain medications stopped working. Aden was once again isolated at home, and many of his friends continued with their lives.

This has been a very emotional and physically exhausting journey for my son. My once active and engaged teenager now spends most of his time sitting or lying on the couch, being visited by his Home & Hospital teacher one hour a day when he can tolerate it (and I’m very grateful for her).

Aden can no longer wait for a physical therapy facility that takes my insurance. I have found a local PT that will allow me to pay cash for each weekly session. I’m a high school secretary, and take every opportunity to work more hours, often working 6 days a week. I clean houses on the side. I teach one class in the fall at CR. I am doing everything I can to keep a roof over our heads, pay the monthly bills, and get Aden the medical and mental help he needs. The trips to UCSF (about $1000. each time) the medications (some of which are not covered by insurance), and the therapies are expensive. I’ve depleted my savings and cashed out my retirement. Now, I am humbly appealing to our community to help pay the $500. A month for the new physical therapist and the next few trips to San Francisco for Aden’s appointments with the GI specialist & his pain management team. It isn’t easy for me to ask for help. I thank each of you for reading this, and for your consideration in donating for Aden.