Help with Samantha's Medical Bills

Samantha Silveira is organizing this fundraiser.

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Wow, what a year this has been. In November of 2012 I started feeling sick. I thought it would pass. I was wrong. I started a new job in December 2012 and kept telling myself that I would begin to feel better. Again I was wrong. I work for a non-profit as a substance abuse counselor. It's my passion because my own addiction recovery changed my life for the better. So while helping others I hid the fact that I was sick everyday. I needed to see a doctor but my insurance wasn't going to start until April 2013. In January 2013 I felt so sick that I went to urgent care. They said it was diverticulitis and gave me anti biotics. I found a clinic and started going. Well that was in March of 2013. March 29 2013 I had my first CT scan to confirm diverticulitis. On my way home from the scan I got a call from my doctor telling me to "GO STAIGHT TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM". The scan showed pelvic abcesses and they were afraid they would rupture. That was on a Friday...my insurance was only 3 days away but I couldn't wait any longer.

Severe diverticulosis became more painful than anything I have ever experienced. It morphed into 2 hospital stays for a total of14 days in the hospital, a 70 lb weightloss, several abscess drainings, loss of muscle, a bone marrrow disorder now being treated with a chemo medication, extreme... anemia that was treated with iron IV's, a fistula (yikes) and the need for a kidney stent.
To date I have had a bone marrow biopsy with a second one to

be scheduled, cervical biopsy, 4 iron infusions (they are awesome), a colonoscopy with an endoscopy and 2nd colonoscopy now scheduled. When I am healthy enough I will have surgery to remove some of my colon, and repair the fistula, and if the stent didn't work surgery to remove some of my ureter.
I am getting better but I have a huge hospital bill for the 3 days before my insurance kicked in. I need help paying the now increasing $13, 000 hospital bill.
Thank you for reading this...helping pay this bill will help me continue working for a non-profit doing the work I love.

Samantha S.