Help Mia Get Urgent Dental Care, and More!
Don protégé
Hey y’all!
My name is Robin and I am a disabled person trying to survive on a sub-poverty income from SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance). Between rent, utilities, out-of-pocket medical expenses, and other bills, my SSDI payments are pretty much spent as soon as they hit my bank account. I have two big known expenses coming up:
- Mia (fruit brute, Emotional Support Goblin, sleepy-pig, dog of my heart) needs a Comprehensive Oral Health Assessment and Treatment (COHAT) with general anesthesia, x-rays, extraction of several teeth, and cleaning of the remaining teeth (which also involves expensive lab work to ensure she’s healthy enough for anesthesia). The vet gave an estimate of $2015-4000, which includes part of the lab work, but there is a $252 test that is not included, plus fees already incurred for exams. (They can’t give a closer estimate until they have her anesthetized and x-rayed, unfortunately, but said her procedure would likely be on the higher end of the estimate.) I’m looking into payment plans, charities, pet health insurance, etc, but it’s not looking good because many grants don’t cover dental procedures, and now that we’ve been told she needs dental treatment, it’s a pre-existing condition. I’ve already been denied by ScratchPay as my income is very low. I’m going to apply for CareCredit because many grant programs require that, but I have checked the payment calculator, and I simply can’t afford any of the payment plans they offer. Mia has had facial swelling a number of times recently, so this issue is becoming increasingly urgent.
- I need a new mattress, desperately. We’ve had our current mattress for ≈10 years. I believe it was 1 year old when a friend gave it to us. (Thank you, Yacalis!) I am bedbound due to chronic pain and fatigue from Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, likely ME/CFS, and a host of related conditions. Because I am bedbound, my bed is my whole living space. If it’s lumpy, sloped, and uneven, with broken springs — and it is!— that has a daily, cumulative negative effect on my health. A broken mattress will cause pain for almost anyone, but all of my joints are extra floppy and fragile, so I wake up most days with severe pain that breaks through my morphine. Also, since I spend close to 24 hours a day in bed, I put 3 times as much wear and tear on a mattress as an “average” 8-hour sleeper. (I know a lot of y’all are raising kids and/or working wild hours and side-eyeing that “8-hours”, but I think you know what I mean. And I see you, tired fam!) I’ve found a mattress that is specially designed for supporting and controlling pain from long-term severe back and joint problems— Friends, this mattress was actually designed for my body! And it has an awesome warranty that pretty much guarantees that I would never have to crowdfund for a pricey high-quality mattress again. A queen is $3188 including tax and 10-year accident insurance on top of the warranty (though prices vary a bit depending on what promo is currently running). I did check with my health insurance to see if they could help me, but they only cover very specific types of hospital beds, twin size only (which I promise is not big enough for a person my size even sleeping alone, but also I don’t sleep alone!), which are only covered under very narrow circumstances that don’t apply to me.
So I need help, folks. To be very clear, any money raised will go to Mia’s care first, until she’s either paid in full and able to get her procedure, or we secure alternate funding (grants, miracles, etc) and she’s able to get her procedure. Only after that point will money be used for a mattress. Any and every donation will be so deeply appreciated, and if you’re struggling too and unable to donate, I’d be very grateful if you could share this as widely as possible. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.
Co-organisateurs (2)
John Azzaria
Organisateur
San Francisco, CA
Robin McClanahan
Co-organisateur