Medical Failure Is Not An Option

Gary Lacy always believed in two things:  The American Dream and that for him, failure is not an option.  Gary achieved The American Dream and it was his reality for many years; a hardworking master hair colorist and stylist, he did all the right things.  Gary didn’t try to keep up with his celebrity clientele.  He lived within his means, saved his money and bought a house to insure he could take care of himself after retirement.

 Then his mother became ill, and everything changed for Gary.  He alone took care of her sending money every month until she died. This all happened just as the Real Estate market collapsed.  The impact on Gary was devastating.  His clients started coming less frequently.  In this midst of the recession, many decided they simply couldn’t afford regular hair appointments, and his business suffered.  Gary’s savings were gone, spent on care for his mother, and he had to sell his house at a loss.

 But Just when it appeared things couldn’t get worse, Gary was told the only solution to the constant pain in his knee was surgery to replace the damaged joint.  The surgery seemed to be a success and Gary returned to work a few weeks later.  As Baby Boomers head into their senior years, more than 600,000 total knee replacement surgeries are performed every year.  99% are successful and patients resume all their activities.

 Four years after his surgery, Gary’s knee became swollen and infected. After initial treatment with antibiotics, Gary got the devastating news that he was one of the unfortunate 1% who develop serious complications that require surgery to clean out the infection.  Gary had the operation and went home to recover.  Within a few weeks, the infection returned, and a third surgery was performed to remove the artificial knee completely and replace it temporarily with an antibiotic emitting spacer.  We are now hoping the next surgery in a few weeks to replace the artificial knee will be the last.  But, as the surgeon told him, if the infection isn’t gone, he will have to have a second ant-biotic implant placed before surgery to give him a new knee. The next surgery will be his third in ten weeks, and the bills are mounting.

 Gary is also taking I-V antibiotics 24-hours per day via a “picc” line (a semi-permanent catheter implanted in his arm that delivers antibiotics round-the-clock).    

 Gary has managed to overcome tremendous setbacks in recent years; he had to go on Federal Disability four years ago because of AIDS-related peripheral neuropathy, a condition that left him with debilitating chronic pain. But Gary persevered. He continued to work earning as much as he is allowed as a Disabled American receiving benefits.  He even gave up his car and decided he would take the bus in an effort to live more affordably. Within days of giving up his car, Gary was standing in the grocery store when a bolt of pain shot through his leg and he couldn’t stand up, let alone walk home or go to work.  His knee was seriously infected. The day he had to close his beloved hair-coloring business was heart-breaking.

 Gary has never asked for help, but he is now faced with the frightening reality that he may be evicted from his apartment as the medical bills and co-pays mount and he faces the at least one more knee surgery and perhaps two.  Insurance has denied coverage for some necessary medications which means he must find the cash. 

 Gary has always been there for his friends and clients when they have been in need.  I have seen him pay bills and buy food for friends who were in a tough place.  Now Gary desperately needs the kind of help he so willingly offered to others in need. If we can raise $20,000., Gary can have his surgery without fear of being evicted from his apartment for the next few months. Please help me help Gary so he can get well enough to return to his beloved home of Corpus Christi, Texas where he will be surrounded by his family. 

 Gary will celebrate his 63rd birthday in a few weeks, and the best gift he could receive would be news that the new knee can be implanted and he will be able to return to Texas.  He is one of the strongest people I know; a man who has outlived most of his close friends, claimed over the years by the AIDS epidemic.  It appeared Gary was one of the lucky ones; AIDS didn’t ravage his body as it did so many of his friends.  For thirty years, he took care of those friends during their final days.  Now that he needs help, he is almost alone.  Please help me show him people do care.  It is so easy to take for granted good health. Watching this happen to my dear friend has made me even more acutely aware of getting older and facing physical infirmities that make it impossible to work.  Gary wants to live and get well, but he needs our help.