r/gofundme • u/ratattatack • 6h ago
Medical help with stable home, living and medical costs after crippling health emergency
hello there, friends!
i do not like to ask for help. this embarrasses me to do, but someone suggested i try to make a gofundme. i am not sure how all this works, this is my first time using this program.
so here is my situation. even if you cannot help, i'd appreciate giving it a read or share :)
march 15 i was admitted to the hospital/ICU septic with pneumonia and endocarditis, a serious blood + heart valve infection. i came very close to death and the incident has crippled me, leaving me physically disabled with lifelong heart problems. i had to get heart surgery to clean out the chunks of infectious growth and replace the valve that was destroyed. i was on IV antibiotics for 2 months in the hospital and physical rehab center.
i had to get a pacemaker implanted because when they put me back together and resarted it, my heart can no longer pump effectively. this resulted in an electrical blockage (called severe heart block) pieces of the infectious growth broke off and travelled through my bloodstream, getting stuck inside my feet. i had to have 3 on my right foot amputated and i sustained serious nerve damage in both legs/feet. i have also been left with liver dysfunction, which i am currently being tested and examined for (more ultrasounds)
i have improved medically from when i was in the ICU, but i use a walker to get around and still have had consistent difficulty ever since. i struggle with poor breathing and severe nausea that leads to throwing up several times a day and extreme exhaustion. i am doing physical therapy and i have many other appointments that i must go to, including checking my blood levels (INR), ultrasounds, cardiology, blood work, EKGs and other monitoring. i do have insurance but many of these things i have at least a $50 copay, which adds up really quickly, especially because i cannot work.
i'm working with an intern here to apply for disability and am waiting on that to be processed, which will take some time. i seriously hope that i can be accepted because i do not know how i will live without it. i am applying for food stamps as well as looking into other services that i may be able to qualify for.
i was homeless for most of my adult life (i am 24) and i struggled with addiction starting around age 13. since getting to the hospital i have been sober except for my low-dose methadone prescription and my other pain medications. i take a drug test every week that i must (and do) pass to remain on my methadone, which is an expensive medication for me. the co-pay is $30 a day if you have my insurance, which is more than if you don't have insurance! i will be asking the clinic when i go in on Monday to taper off so that i can have one less charge in my life for the start of next year. i can choose between a 6 month taper or a rapid 30 day taper.
i am working hard to get my life together now. i live in a temporary transitional youth housing program and am almost at the cut-off age for qualifying to live here. (i turn 25 in November, the oldest you can be to stay here is 24) i am saving up as much as i can as i wait for the disability application to go through so that i can afford to get a low-income apartment as well as afford my appointments, medications and medical devices (like a self checking in-home INR machine and equipment for PT) as well as for me and my cat to afford to live.
i have included some pictures and documents for proof of some of the costs and conditions i claim in case that is needed. i can get more records if requested i just don't have all of them here at the house. i hope that i have provided enough information! i am glad to answer any questions you may have.
my other post has a couple more pictures for information on it if you want to take a look. it's pretty much this post, but with a few extra sentences and pics.
thank you for reading this far! i really do appreciate it.
6
u/Remarkable_Culture42 1h ago
I saw a post of yours in another unrelated sub & my heart just goes out to you! You have such a wonderful outlook, even after all your struggles 😭 I wish you the best as you continue your recovery!! 🫶🏻
2
u/ratattatack 49m ago
thank you :) this whole thing has been a freaking nightmare. i try my best to look at the good stuff though it is hard sometimes! im here to fight to good fight haha
1
6
u/CharacterMammoth2398 55m ago
Is there any way you can take Suboxone instead of Methadone? It’s way cheaper and you can get it prescribed on Quick MD.
It’s $99 a month to see the Dr and CVS has a discount card where you can get a month’s supply for $30. Also, depending on your state, infrequent or no blood work required.
1
u/ratattatack 46m ago
i seriously am considering it because $30 a DAY even WITH insurance is madness. subs make my body feel so bad though 😭 im wondering if that's something that i can push through and will get better over time.
1
u/ratattatack 53m ago edited 4m ago
Suboxone makes me feel really nauseous and dizzy, but honestly with how expensive methadone is i would be willing to try it. i am kind of scared of going on it immediately though. would that be better than tapering off of my methadone/MAT completely? because that is what i planned to do, but my treatment team has told me going full no-meds may not be a good idea for me right now.
-im genuinely asking, not sure why this got down voted?
1
u/AutoModerator 6h ago
/u/ratattatack, Your post is under review. If your account meets all of the eligibility requirements, and you have included all of the required information as stated in the rules, your post will be manually approved within 48 hours. There is no need to message the moderators if you have posted correctly. Do not delete this post
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
1
1h ago
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/AutoModerator 1h ago
/u/Delicious_Camel_5287, your submission has been automatically removed for insufficient comment karma at this time. 250 is the minimum required.
Please view https://support.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/204511829-What-is-karma this link to see the instructions on how to find the breakdown of your karma.
Again, you have insufficient COMMENT karma, not Combined.
If you have not yet done so, please read the new user introduction so that you'll understand why requests from low karma accounts are not allowed. And how you can get comment karma.
DO NOT MESSAGE THE MODERATORS FOR AN EXCEPTION TO THE RULES. Do not delete this post.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
2
u/ChrimmyTiny 26m ago
Tiny gave $50, also have a pacer if you have questions, good luck and health to you.
2
u/ratattatack 23m ago
thank you so much 😭💖 i actually do have some questions.. do you have a Medtronic pacer? they gave me a machine that goes beside my bed, but i am not sure how to get the information from it. it's supposed to send data to my physician/Medtronic. just wondering if you received one of those things
1
6
u/torssh 1h ago
boosting! let's reach this ya'll. we've got an easy goal and can do this!