Support David fighting Parkinson’s and a paralyzed diaphragm

Hello, my name is Brian Torre. I have been a very close friend of David Blackman for 30 years. As some of you know, David’s health is deteriorating, and I have taken it upon myself to help him during this challenging time.

 

David’s medical history includes progressive Parkinson’s Disease, Crohn’s Disease, and a paralyzed right diaphragm (greatly reducing lung capacity).  He was born with scoliosis, contributing to a lifelong journey of continual pain, and has osteo and rheumatoid arthritis and now uses speech to text on the computer.  In addition to these conditions, he has macular degeneration in both eyes, and is slowly losing his vision.  Last October, due to an unsteady gait, he fell and has cracks in the orbital socket around his eye.  Two weeks later, David awoke to profound bilateral hearing loss – he was deaf.  Friends offered support and prayers.  Thankfully, his hearing recovered slightly, to about 10-15% of “normal,” allowing him to hear most conversations but with great difficulty.  

 

People living with advanced Parkinson's disease experience daily challenges as a result of uncertainty in managing motor fluctuations, especially as the disease progresses.

 

The cumulative health toll has been immense, contributing to generalized weakness, an unsteady gait, numerous gastric issues, breathing problems preventing exercise (which would help with Parkinson’s), inability to stand erect, vision problems, loss of hearing, and the future may portend dementia ( a common side effect of Parkinson’s).  

 

Those who know David see him as a fighter, as I do.   He has also been one of the most generous people you will ever meet, always doing for others before himself.  These character traits are not to be cast aside.  They are a reason to help him in his medical journey.

 

As you can imagine, the medical expenses have been substantial.  In the last six months alone, there have been four ER visits, 12 MRI, CT, and other radiographic procedures, and hospital bills have skyrocketed.  Medicare covers quite a bit, but his conditions require specialists and specialized hospitals.  Some are out of state and thus are “out of network” and not covered.  David is now a candidate for ‘DBS’ or Deep Brain Stimulation” brain surgery to alleviate rapidly increasing Parkinson’s symptoms (not a cure, but if successful, may greatly reduce tremors).  This is a procedure that extends leads through two holes in the skull to the brain and then attaches those leads to a transmitter placed on the chest. It is not experimental and has had good-quality outcomes.  It is also very expensive, particularly with specialized brain surgeons who are out-of-network.  The average cost of the DBS procedure is typically $90,000 to $120,000 for professional services, testing, and hospital charges.  After Medicare appeals and payment, there will still be substantial bills from out of network providers.

Parkinson’s medication, not covered under the formulary, is very expensive. One PD drug costs $1,027 for just a month’s supply. He is appealing to have the drug covered.

 

The insurance industry bureaucracy has not helped.  Humana Medicare wanted prior authorization for surgery but required another brain CT to approve the authorization.  When authorization for the CT was submitted, it was denied as not medically necessary. This inane outcome took almost three months to resolve.    

 

Funds are required, and I am taking on this project so that a good friend can live with hope while alleviating some of the worry—allowing him to focus on living and wellness rather than stressing over a denied procedure or an out-of-network claim. For transparency, all funds raised will be deposited into an account at my bank. Bills will be paid as they arrive. This financial setup is essential to prevent other issues associated with possible dementia, which is common with Parkinson’s. I will ensure that his needs are met as long as there are available funds.  

         

Thank you so much for any assistance, of any amount, you can provide. 

 

Brian Torre