Gewls' Expenses During Neurosurgery Recovery

I’m finding myself stuck between a rock and hard place and the space between is quickly closing in on me. I will be having neurosurgery on Thursday October 19th, 2023 for a brain condition called Chiari Malformation which has caused a cerebral spinal fluid flow blockage. Basically, the lower lobes of my brain are escaping through the hole at the base of my skull and are causing a blockage of the CSF flow between my brain and spinal cord. The surgery I am having is called a decompression surgery. I’ve struggled with symptoms of it since childhood (shooting pains while laughing, extreme light sensitivity, pressure build up and migraines, to name a few) but within the last 2-3 years it has progressively gotten much worse and has significantly negatively impacted my day-to-day life.

I ended up in the emergency room at 2am on 8/2/23 with the most debilitating head pressure. I couldn’t even lay down without causing more pain. Since then, I have been out of work. Unable to perform my daily in office tasks and unfortunately not given work from home accommodation. I’ve been anxiously awaiting my surgery date. I’ve been living off my savings, which is not much by today’s standards, and it has been going quickly given now being responsible for paying my COBRA insurance monthly premium since I am not longer a full time employee, on top of the cost to live. Rent, utilities, car payment, car insurance, credit card payments, etc. and student loans which are set to resume payments this month. I’m finding myself trying to keep my head above water. I never wanted to find myself in a place where I needed to ask for help, but now more than ever I am finding myself needing it.

I’m still awaiting to hear back from state disability but have not had any updates on my claim yet. With 8 weeks+ at home recovery post-surgery, I will still be out of work and will be back on the disability waiting list with a new claim. Even if/when the disability is approved, I will still be relying on my savings to supplement the cost of living especially with additional financial strains that have recently come up. On top of everything else, I have already started to accumulate some medical debt due to pre op appointments and testing and I can only imagine with a 2–4-night hospital stay post-surgery what that may amount to in the end.

Thank you for getting this far in reading. I appreciate you for that alone. If you are in a position to help, I would truly be so thankful and indebted to you. If you are not, all I ask is that you send some good (healing) vibes my way! Thank you, thank you, thank you.