Hey Y’all! Fundraiser for Jim Pankey Here

Jim Pankey is the Bob Ross and Fred Rogers of the banjo world! With his free, online tutorials he’s built an international community of banjo enthusiasts and music lovers alike. Of his many talents, it’s through the love of ukulele that Jim and I became friends (pic below). He’s a teacher at heart and that’s how many of you may have come to know him as well!

 

Fall  2021 he learned that a case of indigestion was actually CHOLECYSTITIS (an inflamed gallbladder). During the diagnosis of this angry gallbladder, the doctors discovered a RENAL MASS on his right kidney. Both would have to be removed!

 

As Jim would say, “Go big or go home!” So he did both. Doctors sent him home with a big ole drain for his gallbladder (a “C-tube”) with orders for bed rest. A week before the first surgery, that rest turned into an insurance rollercoaster:

 

Denied. Approved. Denied… And finally, 7 weeks later his surgeries were “Approved”!

 

Friends and strangers alike were instrumental in insuring that insurance would cover his procedures. Yay! THANK YOU! You all are awesome! You can follow Jim online for more details on that part of the story (links below). So… the BEST PART of this story is that Jim is alive! His surgeries were a success! As I write this in December 2021, he is recovering well, 3 months from that initial “indigestion”.

 

The hardest pill to swallow though, is that a clean bill of health often comes at the cost of financial devastation. Insurance approved 3 different surgeries: Cholecystostomy Tube, Cholecystectomy, and a Nephrectomy.  But insurance did not cover everything… like the ANESTHESIA necessary to have the surgeries.

 

Jim, and all of his family, friends, and supports are RELIEVED that he is on the mend and GRATEFUL for all the help along the way! He could use a little bit more help in this home stretch of recovery. Jim is still under weight-restrictions for lifting things, but he is finally playing the banjo again! It will be a while before he’s able to go back full time. Any help while he literally gets back on his feet again would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks for reading Jim’s story and for any support you can lend his way.

 

Lisa Flores

 

 

OTHER WAYS TO HELP:

 

1. Please “like and subscribe”! Jim has over 300 free videos on YouTube teaching you how to play the banjo. www.youtube.com/wildjimbo

 

2. Cool t-shirt’s and more merchandise are available through his website at www.JimPankey.com

 

3. Follow along on social media. Join a live stream! Ask a question!

 

     TikTok:  @wildjimbo 

     Instagram:  @wildjimbo 

     Facebook:  wildjimbo 

 

4. Sign up for additional teaching content through Patreon : www.patreon.com/jimpankey

 

 

OTHER WAYS TO DONATE:

 

     Venmo:  @JimPankey

     Cash App:  $wildjimbo

     PayPal:  jimpankey