Help us fund Michael's recovery
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My younger brother Michael has been dealing with cystic acne for years, and sought intervention from a dermatologist. The dermatologist prescribed him an antibiotic, minocycline, to try and suppress the acne.
It turns out that minocycline can be highly toxic to the liver, and over the course of a few weeks Michael became very ill. He started with bouts of fatigue and became very yellow (jaundice). We decided he needed emergency medical help as his condition was worsening.
This lead to multiple hospital visits as physicians struggled to improve my brother's health. The doctors diagnosed him with hepatitis. Extensive damage has been done to his liver. My mother was forced to take off of work to accompany my brother while he was in the hospital. His bloodwork was becoming worse and the doctors could not determine the cause with 100% certainty, so he was transferred to Florida Hospital in Orlando. There he spent multiple days there, and both my mother and father were forced to take off work for more than a week. They had to use up all of our family funds in order to find a place to stay and food to eat.
My mother will not qualify for medical leave to take care of my brother or receive any compensation from her workplace, and I am working full time myself while attending school full time. This leaves only my mother to tend to him while he recovers.
We are thankful that Michael is home. But he is far from recovered, and the damage from the medication is done. We have officially run out of funds, and this is the last thing I want to do. I work myself for a reason. Michael's hospital bill is over $30,000 and we have deferred 2 car payments already. I am paying my way through school by myself and my parents have no money left for all the bills coming in, not to mention food. We need any help we can get.
It turns out that minocycline can be highly toxic to the liver, and over the course of a few weeks Michael became very ill. He started with bouts of fatigue and became very yellow (jaundice). We decided he needed emergency medical help as his condition was worsening.
This lead to multiple hospital visits as physicians struggled to improve my brother's health. The doctors diagnosed him with hepatitis. Extensive damage has been done to his liver. My mother was forced to take off of work to accompany my brother while he was in the hospital. His bloodwork was becoming worse and the doctors could not determine the cause with 100% certainty, so he was transferred to Florida Hospital in Orlando. There he spent multiple days there, and both my mother and father were forced to take off work for more than a week. They had to use up all of our family funds in order to find a place to stay and food to eat.
My mother will not qualify for medical leave to take care of my brother or receive any compensation from her workplace, and I am working full time myself while attending school full time. This leaves only my mother to tend to him while he recovers.
We are thankful that Michael is home. But he is far from recovered, and the damage from the medication is done. We have officially run out of funds, and this is the last thing I want to do. I work myself for a reason. Michael's hospital bill is over $30,000 and we have deferred 2 car payments already. I am paying my way through school by myself and my parents have no money left for all the bills coming in, not to mention food. We need any help we can get.
Organizer
Jack Blankenship
Organizer
Port Saint Lucie, FL
