Hello! My name is Chris. I'm a furry artist, who has been active in the fandom for about 15 years. I was injured at work, and lost my job. Soon, I will lose my insurance. I have a ton of upcoming medical tests, but no way to pay for them. Please help!

For my day job, I worked at a medical implant manufacturing company. My job was to remove extra bits of metal from the titanium parts we produced. A few months ago, while working on a particularly difficult part, I noticed a strange pain in my hands and lower back. I noticed that my fingers were shaking, and that I was dropping things. I went to my chiropractor, and was told I had 3 pinched nerves in my neck. The cost for physical therapy was adding up, so I had to pursue worker's comp. This plunged me into an absolute medical nightmare that is still ongoing.

I couldn't see my doctors anymore because this was now a worker's comp case. I had to go to "in network" doctors and start from scratch. However, my worker's comp was rejected quite quickly, because they didn't like that I got a lawyer right away. This freed me to see any doctor I wanted, but I couldn't go back to my chiropractor. In the eyes of the law, chiropractors are not seen as reputable, so I had to go to orthopedic specialists and have an EMG performed. This is where things got messy.

My EMG came back negative. It reported that I did not have nerve damage. Because of that, every single orthopedic doctor I saw (and I saw many of them) refused to believe I was injured, and would not treat me. I was greatly dehumanized. I was told I was lying. Metlife, who was in charge of my long term disability leave, stopped paying me, and began to investigate my case. They also did not believe I was injured. So, my doctor and I took a different approach: We did MRIs of my spine.

It was here that they found multiple bulging discs in my lumbar spine. One in particular was pressing on a nerve. I had been walking around for 6+ months with bulges in my spine. However, this did not convince people. The nerves for the arms and hands, where my primary issue lies, travel through the upper spine. The MRI did not show any bulges up there, and 2 EMG tests showed no nerve damage. I've also had every rheumatic test possible and those also turned up negative. It doesn't make any sense at all. This all happened over the course of MONTHS, because our medical care is glacially slow. This brings us to today:

The only lead we have, the only explanation that can tie the injury back to my workplace, is the possibility of titanium poisoning. It's an out there theory, but my workplace did NOT require PPE like gloves or masks. At the end of every day, I would have metallic shavings in my clothes. Everyone was in the same big room as the milling machines, and all of my fellow employees say they have struggled with carpel tunnel and tendonitis. Titanium poisoning (from what I understand) can mimic those symptoms. It's an out there theory, but it makes me think of a Sherlock Holmes quote: "When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."

Sadly, titanium poisoning is an incredibly difficult and unusual thing to test for. I am currently fighting my doctor to get the testing done. Even worse, we have run out of time.

My FLMA protection expired, and a few days ago, I was fired. At the end of this month, I will lose my insurance. I have to get spinal injections to fix the bulges, and the earliest they can get me in is next month. I won't be able to afford it.

This isn't even all that has happened to me during this time. I have also been hit with immense dental bills. My teeth were screwed up a long time ago, and I'm still fixing the damage. I have only one more root canal and crown to get, but with no more dental insurance, it will cost me at least $1200. Other bills, such as my 6-month car insurance premium, have also hit me at this time. Everything has added up at the worst possible moment.

Which is why I am asking for help. I desperately need assistance to get through this difficult time. I have never been more stressed out in my life. My mental health has been absolutely devastated. When so many people tell you something, even if it's not true at all, your brain starts to believe it. I've been doubting my own pain, asking if I'm actually hurting while my body shows symptoms of something being wrong. My back hurts so bad that I can't sit in an office chair. My hands shake even when holding something as light as a piece of paper. I've dropped so many things for no reason, and I find myself missing my target when reaching for objects. I feel like my lawyer and I are not going to be able to win this case, and that I'm going to be screwed out of everything I have. When filing my taxes for last year, I had a whopping $8000 in medical bills. Without a job, without insurance, I won't be able to survive such a financial hit. I have no money left, and cannot pay my rent.

I would greatly appreciate any help you can provide. Thank you so very much.