To Our Cherished Community,

While asking for financial assistance is painfully humbling, for Luca, I will set my pride aside. The reality is this. The day has come when I, alone, cannot afford to give Luca everything he needs. Simultaneous to his health issues related to coccidiomycosis (Valley Fever), his health insurance premium is set to increase by MORE THAN DOUBLE the current rate - from $86/month to $177/month - as of September 25th. This puts me in a desperately untenable situation, as Valley Fever is a dynamic illness with a long-term, unpredictable trajectory that requires continuous monitoring, medication, imaging, blood testing, and supportive care for symptoms that come and go (e.g. the chest x-ray and diuretics he had to have at the beginning of August to monitor and manage fluid in the lungs). As much as it kills me to say it, I literally cannot do this alone.

Luca is not only my earth angel and soul partner, but my co-therapist in our work with kids, teens, and adults in individual and group therapy settings. He is the most precious and wonderful boy in the entire world and to see his health in jeopardy is devastating. What intensifies the stress exponentially is the financial burden that threatens my ability to give him the best possible chance at recovering from this illness (and its co-occurring challenges). Please help me, help Luca. My gratitude, for any and every contribution, is endless. We love you and THANK YOU for loving and supporting us like you do.

NOTE: While I am reimbursed up to 80% for Luca's medical procedures, I have to pay up front and the reimbursement comes several days later. Any and all monies that are reimbursed from insurance will go back into Luca's Health Savings Account - namely to help pay for whatever additional care he needs, AND FOR ONGOING ADEQUAN TREATMENTS. Adequan is the injectable osteoarthritis drug I began giving Luca a few of months ago that is tangibly helping his right front leg (his "bad leg") limp, which had become chronic and much more severe. Further, Dr. Vicky has diagnosed him with spinal arthritis, so this medication is extremely important to keep him on...however, a two month supply of it is $170. It does not need to be given continually, but likely three to four times per year.