
Help me afford EECP heart treatment!
Donation protected
Hi, my name is Greyson. A little over a year ago, I got extremely ill out of nowhere, and since then I have been trying to figure out what's going on and learn how to manage my health.
Last summer, I was diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS ) by my cardiologist. It's led to extremely incapacitating symptoms that have entirely changed my life. POTS means blood doesn't flow properly to my heart, leading to symptoms of dizziness, fainting, brain fog (trouble with cognition, memory, and functioning), heat intolerance, nausea, vomiting, and incapacitating fatigue.
Having POTS has meant I have to change every aspect of my life. I have gotten accommodations at work, but work is still almost impossible due to my symptoms. I am unable to do basic household tasks and care for myself. I can't even eat most of the foods I used to. Right now, I basically wake up, go to doctor's appointments, go to work, and go to sleep. Activities that used to enrich my life like cooking and writing have become basically impossible.
I've tried everything recommended by my cardiologist and other doctors, including lifestyle changes like a strict exercise regimen, a strict hydration and supplement regimen, compression stockings, and physical therapy, as well as medication. These have all helped somewhat, but my symptoms are still debilitating. I struggle to stand and walk for more than a few minutes. I can't even go grocery shopping. I have to use a walker when I go to work or go out to public places.
Since my symptoms are still so severe, my cardiologist has recommended that I begin Enhanced External Counterpulsation (EECP ) therapy. EECP is an evidence-based treatment that uses pressure on the legs to improve blood flow and treat a number of heart conditions, including heart complications from POTS. The treatment is intensive: 5 days a week for 7 weeks, at least 2 hours a day.
It's also incredibly expensive, and my insurance doesn't cover the treatment for POTS because it considers it "experimental". Usually the treatment costs close to $10,000. I have lucky enough to have been offered a discount of over 50% to $4,427.50, but that's still not something that I can afford out of pocket. That amount must be paid in full by the end of my treatment.
Me being sick for so long has completely drained our savings. I'm completely out of PTO from work and can't afford to take time off to focus on this treatment. My doctors have recommended I take short term disability, but that will dock 40% of my income and make me responsible for the employer portion of my health insurance in addition to the several hundred dollars I already pay a month for insurance, doctor's appointments, and medications. Between my wife being disabled and our special needs pets who require medical treatments of their own, we just don't have the disposable income to pay this amount, and neither of us are able to get a second job at this time. We've considered every avenue to fund this on our own, but it seems completely out of reach.
I never saw myself asking for help in this way, but I find myself stuck between a rock and a hard place. It's incredibly difficult and humbling to ask for donations, but it feels like my only option. EECP could be a gamechanger in helping me regain some of my independence. This is the only promising treatment option available to me, so any assistance in achieving it will make a huge difference in my quality of life. I am tired of only living in the seconds I can grab between work and sleep. I am tired of not being able to walk my dog through the neighborhood or go shopping on my own. I am tired of having to ask for help for every little thing.
If you have the ability, please consider donating. If that's not something you can do right now, then please share this around.
(Credit for the header photograph: flowtherapy.com. The total cost $5,000 is to cover fees taken out by GFM and any potential additional expenses that come up during treatment, such as unpaid time off work.)
Organizer
Greyson S
Organizer
Charlotte, NC