Teen Age Son's Medical Bills

My name is Cindy Blair. On June 16, 2012, I lost my soulmate and my husband, Michael,  just 2 months shy of our son, Phillip's, 11th birthday. Our hearts were broken, but Phillip and I had no idea what challenges were still ahead of us. Shortly after Michael's passing, I unexpectedly lost my job that I had worked at since I was 18 years old. I went from being a wife and mother, with a good job and full benefits, to being a widow and single mom with no job and no health insurance. I found a part time job, but I had to secure my own health insurance. Phillip started having a lot of health issues. First was a snowboarding accident that temporarily paralyzed him from the neck down. Luckily, he did not break his neck, he just had severe swelling around the brain stem and got back full use of his arms and legs. Next, Phillip came to me one night with a severe headache, then he could not see out of his left eye, he lost the feeling in the left side of his face and suddenly lost all movement of his left arm and leg. He was rushed to Akron Children's Hospital where they thought he was having a stroke. We got good news and bad news. They told me it was not a stroke, but it appeared he had a tumor on his brain. I was scared and in shock. We ended up at the Cleveland Clinic and after much testing was told that it was  not a brain tumor, but a lesion on the right side of his brain that was causing the symptoms on the left side of his body. He was put on medications and got the function back in the left side of his body. However, the headaches would come and go along with the paralysis. He has been in the care of a wonderful neurologist at the Cleveland Clinic who continues to monitor him and his medications. However, Phillip is still getting the severe headaches and the left side paralysis. Just 5 weeks ago I was driving Phillip to school when he suddenly had severe chest pains and a hard time breathing. Once again, he was rushed to Akron Children's Hospital, where they thought it was possible he was having a heart attack. Again, he underwent testing and was determined that it was not a heart attack, but an arythmia with an elongated QT. He is under the care of a cardiologist at Children's Hospital Heart Center. They have yet to determine if he has elongated QT Syndrome whis is a serious heart disease or an elongated QT without the disease, which still causes the heart to beat irradically, shortness of breath, passing out and other symptoms. Needless to say, we have amassed a large amount of medical bills that I am doing my best to pay, but working part time, paying for our health insurance and trying to keep all of our other bills caught up is an overwhelming task. Phillip is in the care of a neurologist for his brain lesion and a cardiologist for his heart. He has many dr. visits, and a lot of testing still going on. I am scheduling my work hours around his school and doctor appointments,  I cannot leave Phillip at home alone nights or weekends because I never know when he is going to have one of his episodes with his brain or his heart. So working full time is not something that is possible for me to do at this time.  Both of these current health situations are ongoing, so the bills will also be ongoing and the stress of trying to keep up with all of the bills while taking care of my son, has started to take a toll on me. I know that God is with us during this most difficult time, but it has finally come to the point where I must admit that I need help with these medical bills. My pride has kept me from asking for help, but after much praying about the situation, I feel that God has led me to this site, to try to get some help for the bills and to relieve some of my stress so I can concentrate on Phillip's health. It would mean more than Phillip or I could ever express if I was able to get the bills caught up and have money to pay the continuing bills for his care. Any help that we can get will be so much appreciated. May God bless each and every one of you.