Help Matt See!

Hello everyone! My name is Matt Peters.

While at my annual vision check up for diabetes, my doctor says that what was, a year ago, the beginnings of "a cataract" has grown to the point where I am meeting next month with a surgeon to remove and replace lenses in both eyes.

The condensed version is that after having Covid in late July, my diabetes became uncontrollable. I'd been on Trulicity since January of 2023 and despite losing nearly 40 pounds and getting down to weights I was at in college, my A1C kept creeping up. Then came Covid in late July to early August and it went up 4 more points in two months from September to November. My current primary care physician had just put me on insulin a few weeks ago because, in her words, "this shows you are daily in the 400 range and despite the weight loss, the change in diet, and the Trulicity, you are at toxic levels."

And so, according to my opthamologist today, the jacked up diabetes sent my cataract into overdrive in my right eye and he is seeing the very early start of it in my left eye. 

My consult with the surgeon is 03/28 to discuss with her team what I can expect in the surgery right after that, I am told. They'll do the right eye first and a week later, the left. 

Knowing how the American healthcare system is, and knowing how our medical insurance industry is, I spent the rest of that day calling to make sure the surgeon is in network, the facility my consult is happening is in network and the facility the surgery is taking place is in network.

Luckily they all are. Then came the discussion about how much this is going to cost me.

The price tag for each surgery is $4950.

My deductible is 5,000

There's a total out of pocket maximum of 7,900.

This leads me to here, now. GoFundMe is the #1 source for paying medical bills like it or not. And like so many others, I need to come to you, friends and strangers, in humility, and ask for help.

As much as I hate the idea of asking, I hate the idea of filing for bankruptcy at 50 years old even more. My paychecks already go to bills with very little wiggle room for sudden medical expenses to the tune of nearly eight grand. As it is, any and all money that is left at the end of the month goes to taking care of my cats; some of which are diabetic, or elderly, or hyperthyroid, and two that are prone to crystals. So everything goes to their meds and care taking.

Because things are never so cut and dry, I'm asking for a grand total of 10,000 to cover the total out of pocket and any surprises that pop up. I'll need new glasses for example after the surgery. Things like that.

I want to thank my doctors for getting on this and moving me along the process quickly. To everyone that donates, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Any left over funds goes to ongoing cat care.