Jenna urgently needs their tonsils removed
Howdy! My name is Jenna. (25, they/them)
If you know me, you'll know that I'm fiercely independent and I am not the type to ask for financial help. I am responsible with my finances, always pay my bills on time, and have an excellent credit score. I take pride in that. However, I've been put in a tough medical situation and my only option is to ask for aid.
Over the past year, my tonsils have been repeatedly giving me throat and lymph node infections. I was recently informed by an ENT doctor that my only option is to have them removed, or else the infections will keep coming back no matter what I do. My tonsils are massive and deeply pitted. Infectious bacteria will be trapped in those pits forever since antibiotics only take care of things at surface level.
Today, 7/14, I had to return to my PCP because they're infected for the second time in less than three months. This infection makes the lymph nodes on the left side of my neck swell and become very painful. (See photos below.) The last time this happened in May, I became VERY sick for several days with a severe fever from the infection. I've been on four rounds of strong antibiotics over the last year. And it won't end until the source of my issues is gone. I can't physically or emotionally handle the strain of more infections.
Not to mention, they're extremely uncomfortable and cause me breathing issues on top of it all. I've tolerated that for years, though.
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(Lymph nodes swollen from infection in May 2021.)
(They're super gross and massive. I'm so sorry for the mouth photo.)
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Luckily, tonsillectomies are quick outpatient procedures. Unluckily, they're still disgustingly expensive.
Here is where the biggest issue comes in: money. Back in December, I moved into my first apartment. It got me away from my abusive mother for the first time in my life. Now, I'm in a new job that barely pays me enough to cover my bills. I'm still in the probationary period of my new job, so I have zero access to paid sick time or other benefits. I'm terrified of shelling out all this money and then losing income while I recover. I'll be out of work for at least 10 days.
Because I'm low income, I was able to get decent insurance through Pennie. Even though my insurance isn't awful, I still have an $800 deductible that I need to meet. After that is met, my insurance will pay for 80%. The ENT doctor is also requiring a $350-ish down-payment before I can even schedule my surgery.
As I said before, I'm not the type to ask for money. Even now, I feel uncomfortable asking for too much. $1000 will at least help me cover my upfront surgery costs and the deductible. The rest of the hospital bills can likely be paid via a payment plan.
If you feel moved to contribute, I will be forever grateful. Seriously. I still owe my life to the people who contributed to my breast reduction GFM campaign in 2018. My life turned around for the better because of that, and I'll forever be grateful to the people who helped make it happen.
If you have questions or want more information, I'd be happy to provide anything. I'm desperate to get this taken care of once and for all.
Thank you so, so much for your time.
