In April of 2025, my husband, Eric, began experiencing severe pain in his back and abdomen, which we believed at the time was a severe flare up of kidney stones. After basic imaging, ER visits, and over two weeks of excruciating pain, doctors could not find an answer and ultimately assumed it was a stone that passed on its own. Eventually the severe pain seemed to subside. Since then, Eric has intermittently experienced flare ups of pain in the same area, though not as severe as his run in April.

In October of 2025, after 6 months of on and off pain, he began experiencing what we thought was bouts of severe anxiety/panic attacks. His doctor attempted to treat this with several different medications, none of which were effective. It was soon realized that this was not anxiety, but severe blood pressure spikes- some of these spikes bringing his BP up to levels as high as 202/111. These spikes last anywhere from a few seconds-30 minutes. Along with this, he began experiencing dizzy spells, blurred vision, migraines, weakness in his legs (which led to a fall in our living room one evening), and many other symptoms. Lab results were inconclusive, some showing some high or low markers causing concern, but nothing with direct indications or answers.

His doctor then told us something startling, something we’d never heard of before- pheochromocytoma. A rare tumor located on the adrenal gland of the kidneys. 20% chance of being an aggressive cancer. 80% chance of being benign, but either way, life threatening and needs immediate removal before one of these blood pressure spikes leads to a heart attack or stroke. Essentially, a tumor that produces excess stress hormone and throws the body into a “fight or flight” shocked state, causing severe blood pressure spikes, along with every other symptom Eric has been experiencing. His doctor said he needs immediate MRI imaging.

Insurance denied coverage for an MRI.

Next best thing, doctor said get an immediate CT scan. Not as conclusive, but will hopefully give us enough answers to get a go ahead for surgery.

Insurance denied coverage for a CT.

I have spent the past two weeks fighting with Geisinger & Cigna insurance, fighting with Memorial Hermann health network, and trying to work with Eric’s doctor to get something worked out so my husband can get imaging that can potentially save his life. Meanwhile, Eric spends every single day struggling to function. Getting out of bed, showering, driving, all normal daily tasks threaten to spike his blood pressure. He’s been instructed by his doctor that NO physical activity can be done. He’s meant to just sit here and wait.

Nothing. No coverage. No answers. No help. Not even an option to set up a payment plan to assist so we can pay out of pocket.

So now we are faced with draining every penny of our (very small) emergency savings to get my husband the emergency care he needs, find out if he has cancer, have this tumor removed from his body, and any potential treatment that could come with it, or let Eric continue to suffer.

On top of all of this, Eric was laid off from work in October, and I received news this week that as of June 1st, I will be laid off as well (same company, outsourcing our positions to South America), and as of June neither of us will have health insurance at all. We are currently living off one income, I myself am disabled, and we care for Eric’s disabled mother.

The American healthcare system is broken. Patients can’t access lifesaving care. We are experiencing this first hand.

Any help at all is appreciated. Even just share to help get the word out there. We need answers. My husband can’t continue to live like this.