Andy's Medical Fund

In September of 2011, my dad, Andy Silva was diagnosed with a disease called gastroparesis. For those of who don’t know what that is, it’s a stomach condition that prevents the muscles in the stomach from proper emptying. A damaged vagus nerve is what makes it almost impossible for food to move through the digestive system properly. Some of the symptoms he experiences are violent vomiting, chronic pain, fatigue, etc. They haven’t found an actual reason for what causes this disease, but most people who have been diagnosed also have diabetes, parkinson’s, or has had a surgery that damaged the vagus nerve. 
For those of you who don’t know my dad super well, before he was diagnosed, he was extremely active throughout his whole life. He loved playing softball with friends and family! He played softball for 28 years, and was very well known out on the fields! He also loved riding his motorcycle on warm summer nights, and my brother and I grew up with him coaching our sports teams. He has been a coach of ALL kinds of sports, for a total of 32 years! He was also at every track meet of mine, and choir concert that he could be at, even if that meant leaving work and showing up in work clothes. He also LOVED food! Every trip we would go on, he’d always be the one ready to look for new places to eat! Having this disease has disabled him from doing all things he loves to do. Since 2011, this disease has made it so he can no longer work, eat a normal diet, be active on the softball fields, take trips, hold a motorcycle up to ride it, sit in a restaurant, walk around for a certain amount of time, drive, and on his bad days, he can’t even drink or eat a single thing for several days on end. When he first got diagnosed, he was 170 pounds. As this disease has taken over his body, he now weighs 91 pounds. He has always had a passion for boxing. He volunteers and helps coach boxing in St. George, Utah. Sometimes he goes on days that he is ill and is using all of his strength just to be there for the kids. This disease is horrible, and neither he nor his family who has seen him go through this would ever wish it upon anyone. It has taken every little but of life out of him. He has struggled with not being able to get out and do things he loves.
Since he was diagnosed, he has gone through other life changes. In 2015, him and my mom of 20 years got a divorce. Then, in 2016, he was forced out of the house he had been renting, due to the owners wanting to move back in to it. He had nowhere to go, until a friend of mine offered their family trailer. Since then, my dad has been living 20 minutes from town, in the tiny trailer with his dog, Roxy. He hasn’t had any form of income, and cannot afford to live in a decent place right now. My dad has had to travel back and forth from St. George, Utah to the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona in order to maintain this illness. June 13th, he is going in for an evaluation. They told him he is going to have a surgery, and other tests done through June 21st-27th. We have heard several good things about this surgery, and the Dr. also told him that in 2018, there would be a drug coming out that could be the answer to curing Gastroparesis.
My dad has been fighting this disease for 6 years, and has never been one to ask anyone for help, but in order to make this trip happen, we will need to raise $12,000. That will cover meals, flights, rooms, and the medical bills. We have set up an account at Mountain America Credit Union in St. George, Utah called the “Andy Fund,” where you can deposit money without there being a fee. In Casper, we also set up an account through Reliant bank, and it is also the “Andy Fund.”
We understand that not everyone can help him out financially, so I just ask that you SHARE and pass this on, and maybe put a comment about what my dad has done for you, or what he means to you, to lift his spirits!! We appreciate any help we can get!!