Helping Dad with medical debt

Hi. I'm Madelina and this is one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. I am asking for help once more. We are raised to believe that asking for help is shameful, when the truth is, that the way society treats those who need help is cruel. In late 2014, I moved in with my elderly dad, not just to reduce expenses but to be a companion and caretaker as he struggled with illnesses. I soon discovered my dad's finances were an absolute mess. His bills, including medical and prescription costs, went unpaid as he financially supported other family members without any promise of repayment. He was $30K in debt. For the next year and a half, I worked a full-time, physically demanding job to support the household, take care of my dad, and begin to pay off the existing debt. Unfortunately, the accumulated stress of our situation, coupled with years of my father not taking proper care of his health, meant his COPD (from asbestos exposure as a young worker) and chronic heart disease grew worse. Numerous hospital stays because of falls and related injuries, more expensive doctor visits and medications and equipment created more medical debt. The need to provide 24/7 care for my father and my own health issues made it nearly impossible to work fulltime. My efforts to transition to a customer service position within the same company failed and I was placed on unpaid leave. By July 2018, we were in dire financial straits. I could barely keep up with household expenses (food, utilities), and the interest from late mortgage payments and other fines, plus new medical expenses, meant that rather than paying down the debt, we were falling deeper into debt.

A 2019 GFM was unsuccessful and in January 2020, we faced a deadline to pay the bank, or be evicted. We were incredibly blessed that a group of my online friends (hello, #TeamHydr8!) raised enough money that we were able to avoid foreclosure and eviction. For a couple of months, it appeared we would be able to tackle the accumulated debt. Then the coronavirus hit and our struggle became even greater. My dad’s health continues to deteriorate. Money owed to his doctors has limited his ability to be seen (since Medicare only covers what it covers, and out of that, he has to pay 20% upfront out of pocket). Unable to pay, he has to go without treatment or he’s forced to use emergency hospital services. I recently discovered he's nearly blind and needs cataract surgery. The doctor was shocked at how bad it was. He said it can't continue like that because then the sight loss will be permanent.

Over 2020, my health issues have also worsened and limited my ability to do freelance work. I have learned that my endometriosis (scar tissue) has become more critical and requires urgent surgery. I also recently discovered a lump in both of my breasts. One has gotten bigger and painful in the last two months. I need tests to discover if the lumps are benign, yet I am unable to get medical treatment because of existing medical debt for the other issue. It has been a vicious cycle.

We are asking for your help once again. The amount for this GFM is what is needed to pay our accumulated medical debt. If we reach our goal here, both dad and I will get the medical treatment we need and perhaps turn the corner on our struggles. Thank you for reading this. Thank you for any donation or contribution you make. If you are unable to donate, please share this plea for help on social media. We have been blessed in our friends, even in the middle of our struggles while trying to survive a pandemic. Wishing us all a better rest of the year going forward in 2021. We thank you again. Madelina and her dad.