Get my Hero to Graduation

**I've been asked for clarification on expenses. We have the 3 most important tests that total about $1800 plus some additional ones that would bring the total $2500. There are 2 repairs to be made on the car: the heater coil so we can actually have heat when we are in the car which is around $900 and the compressor is also going out but I have not priced it yet but according to internet is between $538-$714. And the remaining balance would hopefully cover the past due bills and some Christmas for the girls. -Thanks Michelle Mathews How do you describe a hero?  I can easily tell you that because that is how I describe my Dad because he picked a tree up off of me back in 2009.  I was 9 years old and for the last 8 years I have watched as my father’s health has declined since that incident.  And in the last year it has just gotten so much worse and this is the reason for this page to help both him and my Mom out.  He has always been there for my sister and me and this time we are wanting everyone’s help to make things better for him.                    Several months after picking the tree up, my Dad had to get surgery on his neck to keep it from cutting his spinal cord in half.  They did anterior neck fusion of C4 – C6.  Later on there his doctor discovered more damage than they first discovered so then there was another fusion from C3 thru T3 which was even a greater loss of mobility and many changes in his lifestyle.  And then in January/February 2017 he ended up in the ER and spent 27 days in the hospital with many different diagnoses thrown at him.               Then in March 2017 he had a 3rd neck surgery with the fusion being from C2 thru T3, which means about half his neck and back is now fused.  At this point there is some question as to whether or not there is something in his body that is causing it to breakdown and attack itself to because this type of damage should not occur this quickly in someone who is only 47 years old.                I am 17 years old and in the last couple of years I have discovered a real love for photography and this is something that I shared with my father but with all the problems he has now we are unable to do this together.  I miss that and I miss him.  There are a few good days when he has a pain level that is just barely manageable, but on the bad days they are so very horrible.   MEDICAL BACKGROUND             On the bad days he cannot walk, stay upright, button his own clothes, or even open a mint wrapper.  There are days my mom has to get him out of the bath or pick him up out of the floor after he has passed out.  He can no longer drive or even walk for very long even with the aid of a cane or walker.  He has been unable to work since January and my Mom has had to be there because he can’t be left alone.  She has recently gotten a job but had to change the hours there to the least that they have because she was missing so much to take care of him. By taking fewer hours if there are times he is better she can work extra time.              At this point in time we have 2 diagnoses that really don’t tell us anything. Idiopathic Neuropathy and fibromyalgia.                My Dad lives every single day with excruciating pain and often times unable to move well and even in some cases he doesn’t make good sense because it is difficult for him to string sentences together.  I want my daddy at my high school graduation in May and at this point, I am terrified that is not going to happen without these tests that are needed to figure out what is so wrong with him.  Victoria’s View             I want to tell you about the costs that we face and this is not just the financial ones.  It is going to cost some $2000 for all the tests that our state run insurance doesn’t pay for.  These are tests that the doctors think will help pinpoint what exactly is wrong with our father.  They do not pay for these tests even though they would help us in getting help for him.  My Mom's friends have said (and we agree) we are in a dire situation and funds need to come quickly if we are get to the light at the end of the tunnel.              My mom and I are earning the only incomes with both jobs being less than part time.  We are both in college - me for my Bachelor’s and Mom for her Master’s. We are both full time students, working jobs, keeping up our schoolwork and Mom also taking care of Dad.  Valetta and I see them struggling to attempt to juggle our money to try to pay bills or parts of them.  We also need to repair our car becuase the heater coil is broken and we are riding around in the middle of winter with no heat in the car.  In fact at this time we are behind on all of our bills and I doubt there is going to be any Christmas because there just is no money.               We need to catch up on our bills, have a little money for emergencies, and something extra to pay for our parts of the medical procedures.  It is imperative that we keep our car and the cell phones on or there is no way to get to jobs, school, or doctor appts.  I guess it would be safe to say that Valetta and I are begging for your help to make all this happen!!  The most important thing is that we want to get testing done to help my Dad because without it, we are not sure that he will survive.  I’m struggling with focusing on school just because I am so worried about my family and want to fix it but I don’t know how without some help from others.             The stress in our house shows on each of us in different ways but it wears each of us down.  We trust in God and are leaning on Him to guide us through each day but sometimes it is not even a day to day thing but almost a minute by minute thing.  In our hearts we know that God has this but it is sometimes hard to remember that in our heads.              I worry about so much like the fact that my sister is going to graduate from high school this year but she is afraid that Dad is not going to be there for it.  I worry about my mom because she is stressing about her school, work, having enough money to pay bills, and still take care of us and our Dad.              None of us can tell you what it would mean to us to have Dad’s tests paid for.  Or to actually have our bills caught up.  It would actually be a blessing just to be able to breathe.  There are not words to be able to say thank you to people who we would feel like saved his life.  Each of you that can help we want to tell you a heartfelt thank you for what you have done and ask that you share the link to our page on your Facebook page or whatever social media you are a part of.  For those who cannot afford to help out financially we also have a heartfelt thank you and ask that you share the link to our page on your Facebook page or whatever social media you are a part of.  THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!! VICTORIA AND VALETTA MATHEWS