Hi. My name is Tony. I have been a professional chef for the majority of my adult life, 18 years to be exact. About two years ago, I fell very, very sick and almost died. In fact, a lot of my specialists and physicians weren't sure if I was going to live, and if I did, they were unsure of how much of a recovery I was going to be able to make.
After a week in ICU, 5 months admitted to the main hospital, 6 surgeries, 2 blood transfusions, 3 drains connected to my abdomen, and countless MRIs, CT scans, ultrasounds, and X-rays, I was eventually discharged.
At the time of my discharge, I was 55 lbs (136 lbs to be exact) lighter than my target weight. Either way, I was just happy to be alive and left there with a VERY new and deep perspective and appreciation for life and how fragile it truly is.
After the hospital, I was released to a medical respite property that can better be described as half assisted living, half independent living. They assisted with medications, medical appointments and transportation to them, food stamps, disability application, community programs, eventually housing placement, and a slew of other things that take a huge burden off of a resident's plate so we can focus on healing and getting better. Throughout this process, I started sharing my story on podcasts, NPR radio, fundraisers, city council meetings, etc., to try and educate the general public. (BTW, The Village at Glencliff is a truly unique medical respite community that is unlike any other in the country. Anyone interested in donating to help people with severe health conditions in which they were left homeless (mostly stage 4 and terminal cancer, major strokes, etc.), your money would not go to waste. I have started a GoFundMe for them as well. There needs to be a Village in every major metropolitan area in the nation.)
That brings me back to my current situation.
I spent 10 months at the Village (still with three drains connected to me). I had to learn how to walk again, cook for myself, bathe myself, and basically learn how to do everything over again. It was a daily and constant struggle, but I was able to make a big enough recovery that I found a part-time job within walking distance and eventually secured my own apartment, in which I have been living for 8 months or so.
Throughout these last 2 years, there have been quite a few minor ripple effects, a 5-day trip back to the ICU, and more recently a diagnosis in which I will need a bilateral hip replacement. That is where I'm stuck between three rocks and a hard place.
The part-time job I was able to obtain offered 18-22 hours a week, which was enough to keep a roof over my head and the power on, but left no room for expendable cash or money for things like health insurance. Since this diagnosis, my mobility has been limited significantly. I can only sit in one position for about two hours, stand in a small space for about the same, my steps are half steps with the assistance of a cane, and stairs are absolutely terrifying without a handrail (again, half steps at a time). My employer recently let me go since I was no longer able to do the physical requirements of the position and there wasn't another department I could transfer into that didn't require the same thing.
The three rocks that I'm stuck between are:
1) If I was able to get on the proper pain medication, I would be able to function like a normal human being and work 35-40 hours a week. This requires a diagnosis and Rx from a pain specialist. For this, I would have to pay out-of-pocket.
2) If I was able to obtain proper health insurance, I would be able to have these two surgeries done as well as rehab and physical therapy.
3) Every day I check the job boards looking for something that would fit my limitations, but that has been to no avail. Either my physical restrictions disqualify me, or my vision problems (I'm 30% blind as well), or transportation is an issue as well. There are a few work-from-home opportunities that I would be able to do, but most require a state certification or training that I also don't have the money for upfront.
As I stated prior, I have been a salaried chef for most of my adult life, completely independent, and was on the other side of the coin when it comes to donating time or resources for those less fortunate. Humility is the very first lesson I learned when I first got sick, and it is still difficult for me to ask for help (even though it is only through the charity, kind hearts, and goodwill of others that I am even alive). That being said, I am reaching out to anyone that might be able to help me through this tough time so that I can eventually go back to practicing my craft and be able to give back to those that saved me.
If you have the means to do so, please help me through this very difficult situation I am in. Literally every dollar helps. Thank you and I hope you have a blessed day.