Mark Boyd Medical Bill Funds

On Thursday September 10th 2020, my father Mark Boyd, had a heart attack while at work.  We got him to the hospital and it was determined that he had a blockage in his diagonal, and his aortic valve was only the size of a pin hole and had to be replaced.  He stayed in the hospital until Sunday, and then was released to have his blockage and valve fixed later.  After he was released from the hospital he found out that he was being terminated from his job, days before he was to start receiving his health insurance benefits.  Now he is having to face these subsequent appointments and procedures with no help from insurance.  At his initial appointment with the valve clinic he was shocked to learn that this whole time he has been in congestive heart failure, which no one at the hospital, nor his cardiologist bothered to tell him.  The congestive heart failure caused by the valve blockage is causing him to have no appetite, not be able to sleep, fill like he can't breathe, and have fluid build up in his body.  Anyone that knows my dad knows he is the life of the party and always happy well he has had to battle with anxiety and depression due to these symptoms.  Luckily a wonderful general practitioner was able to see him and get him on medicines to help with this and he is doing better with those symptoms, but he is still in congestive heart failure.  The bills have already started to pile up from the initial ER visit, tests, and three night stay at the hospital.  On top of all of that he had to have another heart cath done, have dental work done, and see a lung doctor just so he could be prepared for the valve replacement.  The current medical bills along with the estimate for the valve replacement is right at $70,000, as if that wasn't bad enough since he doesn't have insurance and since somehow this procedure is considered an "elective" surgery (though no one could live their life the way he is having to live right now) they want him to pay a down payment of $35,000 before they will even do the CAT scan he needs to have the valve replaced.  I feel like most people don't have that kind of money lying around to pay out of pocket for something like this, so I don't know how they think someone who is unemployed and can't qualify for unemployment or disability can pay this amount.  So now my dad is having his surgery held hostage by a hospital because he doesn't have insurance, and can't afford to pay this down payment.  So while our goal is to try to raise as much money as possible for the medical bills that have already been incurred and those that are to come, we are trying to raise at least $35,000 to cover the down payment.  My parents are wonderful, Christian people who love God and others and never wanted to be in a situation where they needed to ask for help like this, but with my dad unable to work and unable to get any government assistance they really need help.  So anything you can donate would be greatly appreciated.

***Update 10/29/20 - God is good, the hospital called today and after a lot of back and forth with the cardiologists, they have agreed to a lower down payment.  They have said that they will accept a 15% down payment for the CAT scan and surgery which works out to be about $8,000.  There is still a long road ahead as far as the bills go and the total for everything ($70,000) hasn't changed, nor have his attempts to apply for assistance.  We appreciate everyone who has donated so far, thank you so much for your generosity in this difficult time.