Asking for your help, dear readers

 

Regular readers will know that I've been battling multiple health issues for almost 3 years.  They led to an interruption in writing books, because I simply couldn't concentrate well enough to produce what I consider acceptable work.  I've also been blogging less frequently, for the same reason.

Last year I underwent four kidney procedures in an effort to overcome nephrotic syndrome, which first revealed itself as a severe case of hydronephrosis.  The situation was not helped by an incompetent urologist who subjected me to three procedures and then declared me cured.  He was wrong.  Fortunately, I could feel things still weren't right and insisted on a second opinion, which led to a fourth procedure to see what could be salvaged.  Sadly, although the last procedure brought temporary relief, it couldn't resurrect my right kidney;  so, later this month, it's coming out.  I hope that'll be the end of my kidney problems.  (Humans can live with only one kidney, provided it works normally;  so I'll be hoping for the best!)

About three years ago my partly disabling spinal injury, suffered more than two decades ago, began to give me more trouble:  increased pain (lately greatly increased), impaired mobility, and other issues.  Treating this has been complicated (understatement!) by legal issues.  The original injury was work-related, and treated by workers compensation;  but they closed the case in due course, and aren't about to reopen it unless it can be proved beyond doubt that any new problems are directly and immediately related to that injury.  Medical insurance, on the other hand, insist that since there's an older work-related injury in the same area as my current problems, the two must obviously be related, so workers comp should be paying for treatment.  I'm caught in the middle fighting two different sets of bureaucrats, both of which want to ensure that they don't pay for anything.  Lawyers are now involved, and it'll almost certainly have to be dealt with in court in due course.  However, treatment can't wait until the paperwork stops flying.

My wife and I have taken steps as best we can to carry the load so far.  We've mobilized our savings, and taken out a second mortgage on our home.  A very generous reader also donated a significant amount of money last year, which helped us pay for one of the surgical procedures on my kidney.  However, even after all of that, we're still facing a very large medical bill this year (possibly running into next year).  Spinal surgery is very expensive.  The lowest quote I've been able to get (hospitals being notoriously reticent to provide actual cost numbers in advance) is $49,625 for the surgery alone (i.e. surgeon's fees, anesthesia, use of operating theater, etc.), excluding:

• Diagnostic costs;
• Hardware or implants that may be required;
• Overnight or longer hospital stays;
• Post-surgical rehabilitation and physical therapy;
• The cost of treating any complications that may result.

All those expenses are over and above the surgery, and also for our account.  Total costs may exceed $80,000, according to those who've been through this before.  (I emphasize again that this is the lowest quote I've been able to obtain.  Others are significantly higher, exceeding six figures in all.  "Medical tourism" may be a cheaper alternative, but high-quality medical care remains expensive, even in the Third World.  Furthermore, long flights with a newly-repaired spine are sure to be very uncomfortable, and may be medically inadvisable.)

Therefore, I'm turning to you, dear readers.  If you enjoy this blog, and/or you've enjoyed my books, will you please consider helping us meet these expenses?  We've done our best to meet them according to our abilities, but even using the lowest quoted costs, we're going to be up to $50,000 short.  (If we eventually get something from either workers comp or medical insurance to pay some or all of our expenses, we'll use that to clear any remaining medical debt, then donate the rest to help someone else in our position.  We're far from alone in dueling with medical bureaucracies, we know!)

We've started a fundraiser at GiveSendGo, which appears to be one of the most honest and reliable services of its kind.  You can click on the link provided, or on the top link in the sidebar of this blog, to be taken there.  My wife and I will be very grateful for any support you can provide.

Thanks, friends.  God bless you all.

Peter