Watters' Family Medical Disaster
Donation protected
On March 4th, Bernard Watters' body finally gave up and he blacked out not for a few moments or minutes as he had been doing for many weeks, but for more than an hour. Long enough that, this time, his older son Buddy got his mother and she desperately tried to wake him. Eventually she was able to get her ailing husband into the car and drive him to the hospital where he was immediately admitted and given a ventilator.
The primary cause of Bernie's condition was a mass centered on his maxillary sinus, which had grown to fill his sinuses with a cluster of grape-sized tumors and had begun to fill his lower airways, culminating in a grapefruit-sized tumor. Bernie also had pneumonia and cellulitis in his left leg and bruises all over his body due to his repeated falling during blackouts. Bernie had known about his condition for some time, but had prioritized his family over his own health. They live paycheck to paycheck, and both his children and his wife have had their own medical problems in the last year.
This event is poised to ruin the lives of the Watters family. Bernie is the sole breadwinner and stands to lose at least weeks and possibly months of pay. His post-op recovery may run into several months. The medical bills, between high deductibles and spotty coverage by insurance, will assuredly run several thousand, but may run into the tens of thousands. Further, the kind of tumor Bernie had is assured to come back. He will need occasional surgeries throughout his life. This is an unmitigated disaster for the family. The only silver lining is that the tumor likely isn't cancerous.
The Watters family is coming to you because they have no support system. Friends and family have given what they can, and it isn't enough. Ever more bills are flooding in and basic necessities are in jeopardy, as is future medical care. If you can spare a few dollars to help them cover medical expenses, bills, and other costs of living, please do.
The primary cause of Bernie's condition was a mass centered on his maxillary sinus, which had grown to fill his sinuses with a cluster of grape-sized tumors and had begun to fill his lower airways, culminating in a grapefruit-sized tumor. Bernie also had pneumonia and cellulitis in his left leg and bruises all over his body due to his repeated falling during blackouts. Bernie had known about his condition for some time, but had prioritized his family over his own health. They live paycheck to paycheck, and both his children and his wife have had their own medical problems in the last year.
This event is poised to ruin the lives of the Watters family. Bernie is the sole breadwinner and stands to lose at least weeks and possibly months of pay. His post-op recovery may run into several months. The medical bills, between high deductibles and spotty coverage by insurance, will assuredly run several thousand, but may run into the tens of thousands. Further, the kind of tumor Bernie had is assured to come back. He will need occasional surgeries throughout his life. This is an unmitigated disaster for the family. The only silver lining is that the tumor likely isn't cancerous.
The Watters family is coming to you because they have no support system. Friends and family have given what they can, and it isn't enough. Ever more bills are flooding in and basic necessities are in jeopardy, as is future medical care. If you can spare a few dollars to help them cover medical expenses, bills, and other costs of living, please do.
Organizer and beneficiary
Bernard Watters
Organizer
Pittsburgh, PA
Shirley Cravener Watters
Beneficiary
