Help Anthony get to Rochester Mayo.
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My story starts on New Years Eve 2012, I stand up from my couch with a pounding and racing heart. I am not quite sure what to make of this as I chalk it up to maybe coming down with a virus but I am alarmed. Things progressively get worse throughout the night and I finally decide it's time for an ER visit. I am not feeling well. I get there and I am in a SVT arrythmia and my blood pressure is 180 over 100. To make a long story short I am admitted and my stay wound up being seven long hellish days of tests, tests and more tests. I am in the hospital thinking a million things and by the end of it the medical doctors come by with a diagnosis. They tell me I have POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome. I was presented with this diagnosis at Long Island Jewish Medical Center. My family and I have never heard of POTS.
This is the beginning of a long, arduous and very monatarily depleting medical journey which I never could have imagined would snowball into what it is now. I am very challenged every single day with medical issues. After around 120 doctors visits thousands and thousands of dollars in medical bills and a whole lot of time I am now medically and professionally diagnosed with 17 medical issues. The Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN as well as in Scottsdale, AZ and Columbia Prysbyterian Hospital in N.Y. have acknowledged that I am one of the most complicated cases they have ever seen. Some 7 months ago because of the amount of times I went to the ER's because of chest pains both sharp and squeezing extensive heart exams were done and I was diagnosed with congenital heart disease. On my last visit to Mayo/Scottsdale on August 20, 2015 I had an essophogeal echocardiagram performed which confirmed a vein going to my right heart ventricle. It is not supposed to be there. My right ventricle is enlarged and at some point depending on how the right ventricle handles this growth enlargement, heart surgery will be needed. Every year I need to follow up to check on the enlargement circumference. Those are all specialized "congenital" heart doctors. I still have to continue with my specialized autonomic doctors for POTS. I have been to the Mayo Clinic in Arizona around 8 times and Columbia around 6 times and both have yet to find a cause for all of this. The congenital heart diagnosis took me for a loop I must tell you. Many of you know my athletic abilities that took me to other parts of the world to play and how much I so loved them not to mention the hard work and stamina. I could not return to college either because of the many, many symptoms I endure daily. An accomplishment I still so want to achieve.
My diagnosis to this day are:
1- Congenital Heart Disease PAPVR / partial anomalous pulmonary venous return;
2- Hyperadreneric POTS;
3 -Dystautonomia, small fiber sensory neuropathy and autonomic neuropathy confirmed by Columbia biopsy; 4 - Gilbert's syndrome (bilirubin and jaundice);
5 - GERD;
6 - Esphogitis;
7 - Neurocardiogenic syncope;
8 - 1st degree av block;
9 - Sinus tachycardia and bradachardia;
10 - Liable blood pressure;
11 - Enlarged right ventricula;
12 - Gallstones and sludge;
13 - Chronic fatigue syndrome;
14 - Some form of Ehlers Danlos confirmed by Dr. Wiemer (Columbia Prysbyterian) and Dr. Goodman (Mayo - Scottsdale). Both doctors are wanting me to go to Rochester Mayo clinic for 2-3 weeks and we are totally tapped out of money and funds at this point and time. I have a beautiful, caring wife who has stood by me in so many ways -- more than I can begin to explain. Our family now includes an 8 month old daughter. I am so thankful for my beautiful blessings.
As I know many people fight such things alone in the dark sometimes, I can no longer do so. I have many, many medical bills passed due probably over $20,000.00 at least. The trip to Mayo Hospital in Rochester, MN for 3 weeks would be a hefty price. My timeline is to go there in March 2016 when my wife will be able to take time to stay with our daughter. I am asking for some help as I wish it would have never come to this as my pride is stretched, but there are times in life where you have to lay down your pride and ask for help. This is my time.
I have many, many symptoms associated with POTS and my medical conditions. To name a few they are chest pain, gastro problems, short of breath with minimal exertion, burning muscles which is very painful, unsteady heat & cold sensitivity, both hands and feet always cold; lightheadedness, muscle spasms, flushing of my face very warm, memory loss short term, loss of weight (50 pounds in a year), stiffness upon awakening, sweating when I eat, loss of hair, palpitations, pounding heart, very fast and very slow heart rate, dizziness, joint pain, insomnia, food intolerance and others. This is not an over exaggeration. I usually fight these things head on and on a daily basis. Having gone from being an excellent athlete and a college student to this is very hard in all aspects but I am very thankful for the friends, family and especially my wife's daily support throughout all this and my daughter who brings out the "silly" in me and makes the plowing through the day by putting a smile on my face.
I am asking for your help in this medically induced struggle. I want to get well and I have to be able to continue to seek out treatment and help. Ultimately, I would one day like to get back on my feet to feel somewhat whole again and to support my wife and daughter and of course I so want to do that every single day.
People I know will never understand what I go through on a daily basis but hopefully this sheds some light on my battle. It is complicated.
So I come to you asking for any amount of money you can contribute. The money would go toward expenses relating to my conditions i.e. the trip to Rochester, MN (March 2016) which I need help in getting there and back for travel expenses including accommodation stay; airplane reservations; daily basic meals, doctors, exams, medications.
Thank you for taking your time to read my story for helping me to get funded for these medical needs. Anything and everything is greatly appreciated.
This is the beginning of a long, arduous and very monatarily depleting medical journey which I never could have imagined would snowball into what it is now. I am very challenged every single day with medical issues. After around 120 doctors visits thousands and thousands of dollars in medical bills and a whole lot of time I am now medically and professionally diagnosed with 17 medical issues. The Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN as well as in Scottsdale, AZ and Columbia Prysbyterian Hospital in N.Y. have acknowledged that I am one of the most complicated cases they have ever seen. Some 7 months ago because of the amount of times I went to the ER's because of chest pains both sharp and squeezing extensive heart exams were done and I was diagnosed with congenital heart disease. On my last visit to Mayo/Scottsdale on August 20, 2015 I had an essophogeal echocardiagram performed which confirmed a vein going to my right heart ventricle. It is not supposed to be there. My right ventricle is enlarged and at some point depending on how the right ventricle handles this growth enlargement, heart surgery will be needed. Every year I need to follow up to check on the enlargement circumference. Those are all specialized "congenital" heart doctors. I still have to continue with my specialized autonomic doctors for POTS. I have been to the Mayo Clinic in Arizona around 8 times and Columbia around 6 times and both have yet to find a cause for all of this. The congenital heart diagnosis took me for a loop I must tell you. Many of you know my athletic abilities that took me to other parts of the world to play and how much I so loved them not to mention the hard work and stamina. I could not return to college either because of the many, many symptoms I endure daily. An accomplishment I still so want to achieve.
My diagnosis to this day are:
1- Congenital Heart Disease PAPVR / partial anomalous pulmonary venous return;
2- Hyperadreneric POTS;
3 -Dystautonomia, small fiber sensory neuropathy and autonomic neuropathy confirmed by Columbia biopsy; 4 - Gilbert's syndrome (bilirubin and jaundice);
5 - GERD;
6 - Esphogitis;
7 - Neurocardiogenic syncope;
8 - 1st degree av block;
9 - Sinus tachycardia and bradachardia;
10 - Liable blood pressure;
11 - Enlarged right ventricula;
12 - Gallstones and sludge;
13 - Chronic fatigue syndrome;
14 - Some form of Ehlers Danlos confirmed by Dr. Wiemer (Columbia Prysbyterian) and Dr. Goodman (Mayo - Scottsdale). Both doctors are wanting me to go to Rochester Mayo clinic for 2-3 weeks and we are totally tapped out of money and funds at this point and time. I have a beautiful, caring wife who has stood by me in so many ways -- more than I can begin to explain. Our family now includes an 8 month old daughter. I am so thankful for my beautiful blessings.
As I know many people fight such things alone in the dark sometimes, I can no longer do so. I have many, many medical bills passed due probably over $20,000.00 at least. The trip to Mayo Hospital in Rochester, MN for 3 weeks would be a hefty price. My timeline is to go there in March 2016 when my wife will be able to take time to stay with our daughter. I am asking for some help as I wish it would have never come to this as my pride is stretched, but there are times in life where you have to lay down your pride and ask for help. This is my time.
I have many, many symptoms associated with POTS and my medical conditions. To name a few they are chest pain, gastro problems, short of breath with minimal exertion, burning muscles which is very painful, unsteady heat & cold sensitivity, both hands and feet always cold; lightheadedness, muscle spasms, flushing of my face very warm, memory loss short term, loss of weight (50 pounds in a year), stiffness upon awakening, sweating when I eat, loss of hair, palpitations, pounding heart, very fast and very slow heart rate, dizziness, joint pain, insomnia, food intolerance and others. This is not an over exaggeration. I usually fight these things head on and on a daily basis. Having gone from being an excellent athlete and a college student to this is very hard in all aspects but I am very thankful for the friends, family and especially my wife's daily support throughout all this and my daughter who brings out the "silly" in me and makes the plowing through the day by putting a smile on my face.
I am asking for your help in this medically induced struggle. I want to get well and I have to be able to continue to seek out treatment and help. Ultimately, I would one day like to get back on my feet to feel somewhat whole again and to support my wife and daughter and of course I so want to do that every single day.
People I know will never understand what I go through on a daily basis but hopefully this sheds some light on my battle. It is complicated.
So I come to you asking for any amount of money you can contribute. The money would go toward expenses relating to my conditions i.e. the trip to Rochester, MN (March 2016) which I need help in getting there and back for travel expenses including accommodation stay; airplane reservations; daily basic meals, doctors, exams, medications.
Thank you for taking your time to read my story for helping me to get funded for these medical needs. Anything and everything is greatly appreciated.
Organizer
Anthony Achillas
Organizer
El Paso, TX
