Help mend Joey's broken heart

My name is Benjamin Corwin, I am the older brother of Joseph Charles Corwin, Joey to their friends, and I'd like to take a moment to thank you for clicking this link and taking the time to read this. As some of you already know, and others are just now finding out, my family had an unexpected medical emergency that has overtaken our lives in the last several weeks.

On Saturday November 4th, my younger sibling Joey visited the emergency room, due to swelling of the feet, shortness of breath, and sustained chest pain. At first, it was assumed it had something to do with the COVID infection they'd recently had overcome, but as the doctors continued to apply more and more tests, the ailment just became more and more mysterious. Finally a CT scan was run. The doctors were looking for a pulmonary edema and/or clotting in the lungs, but a different set of major issues was found: Joey was suffering from a combination of cardiomegaly, cardiomyopathy, and an aortal aneurysm that was already in danger of immediate rupture. Further investigation showed that Joey was born with a congenital heart defect in form of a bicuspid valve on their aorta. This valve, due to a missing leaf, had been slowly killing Joey since their birth in 1989.

The valve was thoroughly calcified, a natural consequence of the poor blood flow it provided, to the point that it barely even functioned as a valve. Because of this, the doctors decided that a valve replacement could not wait. Sending Joey home to wait on an operation could have killed them. As such, Joey spent two weeks in the hospital prepping and underwent open heart surgery, replacing both the deformed valve and a large portion of the ascending aorta on November 16th.

The operation was a resounding success and things are looking good for recovery, but the expenses for this procedure are tremendous and Joey has no way to work for the next several months. We've managed to get them signed up for MAP to cover most of the immediate hospital bills, but Joey did not have proper insurance at the time of the heart failure and the bills will continue to grow for the foreseeable future, with weeks of rehab, numerous required follow-up visits, and regular check-ins with specialists. In the new year, Joey will have health insurance through the ACA marketplace, but unfortunately that coverage doesn't kick in until January 1st.

Joey has been an active performer and part of the Austin music scene since moving here in 2007. In that time they've been in many different musical acts including Nooooooooooooo, the Device, the War on Xmas, Ole Elo, Charlie F Grambol, and the Cap Gun Coalition, performing at many of the music venues here in town. Additionally, they've been a regular attendee and volunteer at the Kerrville Folk Festival and worked as a pedicab driver downtown since 2012.

Any and all funds donated will be used to cover Joey's medical, rehabilitation, and living expenses for the next few months while they get back on their feet and find a new career path (the doctors say pedicabbing is off the table).