Hoping to See My Grandchild.
Almost 2 years ago, the apartment that I was living in with my wife and stepdaughters had gotten full of black mold. We'd repeatedly contacted the office/maintenance and higher. All that was ever done was that maintenance would show up, spray some kind of bleach mixture on the mold areas, and paint over them.
To add to the problem, the family living above us had children who flooded their bathroom and soaked our bathroom ceiling. Again, our management did nothing to respond, saying that there was nothing "dangerous" about the situation and that it would dry up and be "just fine."
About two months after the flooding incident, I ended up hospitalized for the first time with pneumonia. That physician just kept me overnight, treated my symptoms (got the coughing a bit better controlled), and discharged me. I had to miss several days of work afterward.
I'd only been able to return to work for a few days (I am a machinist) and was coughing so badly and running such a high fever that I couldn't keep my balance or think straight.
My wife picked me up and drove me straight back to the hospital. This time I was admitted to the ICU immediately, had to have fluid drained from my lungs, found out that I DID have pneumonia from the black mold, as well as having developed a bacterial infection and was septic. I was sick enough that I coded and nearly died. I was an inpatient for nearly two weeks.
My breathing and balance have never recovered. I use inhalers, a nebulizer, and a CPAP machine daily. Because of my balance/vertigo issues, I can no longer safely do my job. I've been diagnosed with Post-Sepsis Syndrome, which involves severe fatigue, muscle weakness and pain, joint inflammation and pain, nerve damage, kidney problems, severe anxiety and depression, daily nausea and severe headaches, and more. There is no cure for this condition, and about 50% of survivors of PSS will suffer severe organ damage and only survive 5 more years.
Because of my inability to work, medical expenses have nearly bankrupted me. My physician is extremely concerned about some new symptoms that I am having and wants me to have an MRI/MRA asap. I have applied for both disability and medical assistance repeatedly, and just keep getting basically "wait-listed."
I just found out that my son's wife is pregnant with my first grandchild, due in December. I'm asking for help to pay for these tests, to give me an accurate idea of how much longer I can expect to live if my medical application does not get approved (it has already been 14 months).
It means the world to me to be able to meet and hold my grandchild. ANY help that anybody is willing to give would be more appreciated than I know how to express.