Solidarity with Ian
Donation protected
We're raising money for our co-worker and friend with health issues who needs help affording his treatment that United Healthcare has refused to cover.
As many of us have seen, Ian has shown incredible patience and strength in dealing with ongoing health issues and ongoing opposition from his health insurance provider.
If you've missed what he's been dealing with, here's a message Ian wrote for all editors about a week ago, edited for this page:
*****
In January of this year, I was diagnosed with a C. Diff infection. For those who don’t know, it’s a bowel infection similar to E. Coli and Salmonella. Doctors prescribed me one antibiotic after another, and to this day, I am still battling that very same C. Diff infection. There IS a treatment that is 97% effective against “medically resistant, recurrent C. Diff”, which is a fecal transplant (yes, it’s exactly as shitty as you think). People die from C Diff.
I’ve also been dealing with a myriad of mysterious symptoms that look, act, and feel like cancer. I had, and was treated for cancer in 2010, so I’m quite familiar with it. My doctors say it looks like sarcoidosis, a life-long, incurable autoimmune disease. It primarily affects my lungs, but can infect/spread tumors to any organ system and become fatal. It also adversely affects my immune system, making it difficult to fight off infections.
I was often the medium between: my manager, HR, the leave department, The Standard Insurance Company, United Healthcare, and all 9 of my doctors. I spend countless hours on the phone with everyone involved.
At this point, I’m seeing specialists on a weekly basis, and all of the time that I have to take off is unpaid. None of this even touches on my massive medical debt that I’ve acquired as a result of this ordeal.
*****
We’re asking for support for Ian from our fellow editors and friends.It shouldn’t be on us, as his coworkers, to pay for his leave and help with his bills—but we all know the state of healthcare in the US.
***NOTE: Thank you everyone for the donations so far. We're increasing the goal as we receive donations to expand how much we can help Ian.***
As many of us have seen, Ian has shown incredible patience and strength in dealing with ongoing health issues and ongoing opposition from his health insurance provider.
If you've missed what he's been dealing with, here's a message Ian wrote for all editors about a week ago, edited for this page:
*****
In January of this year, I was diagnosed with a C. Diff infection. For those who don’t know, it’s a bowel infection similar to E. Coli and Salmonella. Doctors prescribed me one antibiotic after another, and to this day, I am still battling that very same C. Diff infection. There IS a treatment that is 97% effective against “medically resistant, recurrent C. Diff”, which is a fecal transplant (yes, it’s exactly as shitty as you think). People die from C Diff.
I’ve also been dealing with a myriad of mysterious symptoms that look, act, and feel like cancer. I had, and was treated for cancer in 2010, so I’m quite familiar with it. My doctors say it looks like sarcoidosis, a life-long, incurable autoimmune disease. It primarily affects my lungs, but can infect/spread tumors to any organ system and become fatal. It also adversely affects my immune system, making it difficult to fight off infections.
I was often the medium between: my manager, HR, the leave department, The Standard Insurance Company, United Healthcare, and all 9 of my doctors. I spend countless hours on the phone with everyone involved.
At this point, I’m seeing specialists on a weekly basis, and all of the time that I have to take off is unpaid. None of this even touches on my massive medical debt that I’ve acquired as a result of this ordeal.
*****
We’re asking for support for Ian from our fellow editors and friends.It shouldn’t be on us, as his coworkers, to pay for his leave and help with his bills—but we all know the state of healthcare in the US.
***NOTE: Thank you everyone for the donations so far. We're increasing the goal as we receive donations to expand how much we can help Ian.***
Organizer and beneficiary
Steve Weishampel
Organizer
Chicago, IL
Ian Sallee
Beneficiary