Help Glenn's kidneys, I'm in constant pain.

Hello,

My name is Glenn Wallace. I am a 22-year-old programmer and aspiring physician. At 16, after almost a decade of misdiagnosis, the doctors finally told me that I suffer from two rare conditions, LPHS (Loin Pain Hematuria Syndrome) and IgA Nephropathy. My entire life and I do mean all of it, I've lived in pain. Pain, as stated by others, is comparable to childbirth. I have visited the emergency room at least 50 times and had at least 100 doctors tell me they can't or won't help. I have tried nearly everything. I spend hours with doctors every week to beg them to help me. I spend most of my days in bed crying and squeezing the side of my body until I get those few short hours of sleep. I will never forget the first time I had a powerful attack. To call for help, I pressed the button on my car keys to set off the alarm. My mother ran to me while I was prone in the driveway withering in pain, lying in my vomit. It has only gotten worse.

I've gone from thinking my life is forfeit to wanting to do something. I've spent most of my time since that first awful attack trying to better myself and others. I research daily for new advances in medicine and medical research. I've always wanted to help others, so I plan on becoming a research doctor, and I'm already well on my way. At this point, I am more educated about my disease than most doctors, and I plan to find a solution for my rare disease and others. I'm working on a Deep Learning AI to diagnose and treat rare illnesses. It aims to reduce misdiagnoses and help doctors better treat their patients.

To help others as I so deeply desire, I need help first. I can't function as a typical 22-year-old would, and it breaks my family's heart and my own. I've found several options that may be suitable to reduce my pain and help me gain control over my condition. All of these options are expensive and not covered by insurance. To some success, I am currently undergoing Ketamine infusion therapy. After the first treatment, I uttered the words "I can't feel my kidneys," which was one of my happiest moments. However, I don't know how long I can continue at $600 a session for an indeterminate amount of time. My parents agreed to use their savings to pay for six sessions but cannot do more. However, the rest of my medical bills and procedures are thousands of dollars more expensive and not offered in the United States.

I genuinely believe that we need to help others. I don't think I deserve more help than anyone else. There are people far worse and better off than me. I want an opportunity to improve my condition and leave the world better than when I came into it. So if you think you can support me to reach my goals of healing myself and helping others with rare illnesses and debilitating pain, I appreciate your contribution and cannot say thank you enough.

#helpglennskidneys