Hey everybody!
My name is Bridgett I am a friend of SJ and the 12th House. I am setting up this Go Fund Me for SJ and her family. They have had a rough few months and are hoping to find some relief. They are so grateful for all of your support. If possible, please consider donating.
An Update from Sarah & Butch
The past few months have been incredibly challenging for us, both physically and financially.
October: I had to get a root canal redone, and due to a severe infection that turned into a sinus infection, I went through three rounds of antibiotics—none of which worked. My left sinus has been blocked for three months, and now I need sinus surgery in February.
November: Butch was hospitalized for three days with a superior mesenteric artery dissection. Our insurance refused to cover the bills, claiming he was still enrolled in an outdated Medicaid plan from 2008. It took two months and countless hours on the phone to even attempt to resolve it, and we still don’t know if they’ll pay. He also needed a follow-up CT scan one month after discharge, but insurance wouldn’t cover it—so it never happened.
January 13 (Butch’s 50th Birthday): Instead of celebrating, I ended up in the ER with severe back pain and was admitted to the hospital for 11 days. No pain medication provided real relief, so doctors ran what I call the “million-dollar workup”—a full-body CT scan, MRI, lumbar puncture—yet 95% of the results came back “unremarkable” or “negative.” While that’s ultimately good news, the pain is still there. Now, I need to enter a Pain Management Program at Mary Free Bed outpatient—but, of course, insurance is fighting me on covering it.
To make things even harder, I had to quit my other job since I can’t stand or sit for long periods or lift anything over 10 pounds. Hopefully, the pain program helps—but only if insurance will cover it.
While I was in the hospital, insurance finally approved Butch’s CT scan to see if his meds were working. We got the best news on Monday—the meds worked, and he’s OK.
But now, we’re facing new hurdles. With the start of the new year, our deductible reset, and my 11-day hospital stay made an already tough situation even worse. The store wasn’t fully open while I was gone, which only adds to the financial strain.
We know we’ve asked for help before to keep the store going, but this time, it’s different.
We truly appreciate every bit of support and love you’ve shown us.
With love and gratitude,
Sarah & Butch