Caring for Cory

Meet Cory and Amanda. Two young kids doing the best that they can under horrific circumstances. They have been loving each other for over a decade now, and Cory has become another son to us. Cory was adopted as an infant. He had no knowledge of his medical history, and we were all taken by suprise when he was hospitalized in February, 2019 in complete liver failure at the age of 29. As doctors scrambled to figure out what was causing his liver failure, he slipped into end stage renal failure. It was discovered that he had not one but TWO rare genetic disorders, the first discovered was called alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency, which attacks organs such as lungs, liver, kidney etc... in otherwise healthy individuals and the second was discovered later, and it was vasculitis, or a swelling of the blood vessels that starves organs of oxygen and other vital nutrients. Cory will die without an immediate liver and kidney transplant. 

Like most of us in the United States, Cory and Amanda are working full time jobs to afford their 2 bedroom apartment and 2 cats. They have no savings, and until he became gravely ill, they had no health insurance, because the retail jobs they work do not offer it, and do not pay enough to afford to purchase their own. As he has become gravely ill, Cory received Medicaid, so his medical bills are being addressed; however, in order to survive, he requires a liver and kidney transplant immediately.

Amanda has taken on a second part-time job in addition to her full time job to cover Cory's half of their expenses, and to assist her with traveling the 3 hours back and forth to Detroit, Michigan from Grand Rapids, Michigan every weekend to see him while he awaited transplant surgery. She has been treading water financially with the help of family and friends. Cory has been trying to apply for Social Security; however, it requires a conference phone call that he is too ill to take part in!!

Good news: Cory has been called to Henry Ford Transplant Clinic in Detroit as he is at the top of the transplant list for his liver and kidney! Challenging news: he now will require 24 hour care by family, and Amanda, as his life partner for the last 10+ years is his primary caregiver. His mother will assist at times, but Amanda will need to miss countless hours of work without sick or vacation time in order to ensure that Cory attends his MANY, MANY appointments, and therapies to ensure that he regains his health.  Her employers have let her know that her job is not at risk, and have even provided work she can do from home, but she will no longer be able to work a second job, and will need to miss time that cannot be made up at home.

As her mother, I am seeking help for Amanda to be able to pay their bills during Cory's extended recovery which will take at least a year. Please help this amazing, strong woman care for her partner and keep their jobs and apartment any way that you can! Thank you for your time!