My name is Donald Papenfus and I'm a husband and father to five amazing children. I was a foreman for a cellular tower company here in California, and in 2022, I suffered a freak accident which left me with a broken back. It required emergency back surgery where they fused my L4/L5 section of my lower back. Since that surgery, I've been in more pain than when I first got hurt. Worst decision of my life was to go under the knife. I've spent the last nearly 4 years pretty much bedridden. I just got a pain pump installed 3 weeks ago and it has done nothing to alleviate the pain. In fact, it's made matters worse because I now have shooting pains down my legs pretty much nonstop. I suffer from many late nights watching my family sleep as I sit and suffer alone in pain. I've recently found my wits' end that a lot of people talk about. I found a medical procedure that could help, but it's not covered under insurance, believe it or not. Shocker, right? Nearly 30k to help me like I just have that laying around. My doctor broke my heart when he told me how much it was and that there is no way around it. I have to pay to get healed. I have prayed and prayed over this, and after making a post about it on Facebook, a friend of mine told me about GoFundMe. I have been in a very dark place lately, and my friend literally showed me some light at the end of the tunnel. I have always put others before myself, yet it seems like when I've needed it most, I've been left in the dark. I know this is my battle, but I have 4 young boys that need their father healthy again because I miss out on everything from school events to my sons' sporting events. It breaks my heart telling them Dad can't come watch them compete. I have to try everything for them. I really appreciate any and everyone in advance. God bless I am hopeful this may do the trick. Stemcell therapy is very costly but extremely effective. We are hoping it will be able to regenerate the degenerative disc disease and swelling around my spine and prevent most of the pain im in. God willing things will turn out better for me. Thank you so much for all the love and support ❤️