Covid Survivor Without Income Needs to Pay Bills

Josue Martinez contracted the virus at work, CVS, and unfortunately he also infected his mother and girlfriend. His condition became very serious leading him to seek medical attention, with great difficulty. He was eventually received at Cedars Sinai and placed in critical condition where he got the needed care. It was unlikely for him to survive, but in a miraculous turn around he was given an experimental drug, put onto a ventilator and a ECMO machine. His care at Cedars was for about over a month and then he was transferred for rehab at Southern California Hospital for 2 weeks. Josue was released from the hospital Friday, May 29, 2020. He is barely receiving and reviewing mails from the hospital, but he will be looking at a huge bill that is difficult in paying since he did not go in with health insurance, but attempts were made to find solutions of which I am unsure on the details. There is also some difficulty with CVS and Workers Compensation in accessing funds that will cover his illness and inability to work.

DETAILS:  Josue lives with his mother who has been unable to work due to an injury.  He was previously a student and decided to take on a job and work full time to become the main bread winner so that he may support his mother.  At his place of employment, CVS, he recently contracted the virus and became ill with a difficulty in breathing. He sought out medical help and was turned away from MLK because the symptoms were not severe enough according to their standards at that time the same day he went to a drive-up COVID testing station where a negative result was given. Two days later, Easter Sunday,  he was rushed to Cedars Sinai by his girlfriend because his condition was quickly becoming worse. It is also worth noting that he passed on the virus to his mother and Rosie (his girlfriend).

Cedars tested him with a confirmation of having the virus so they received him. Josue was in critical condition and placed in a coma while they cared for him by using experimental drugs, putting him on a respirator and an ECMO machine. This went on for about a month with little to no changes in his condition. It seemed that he was very likely to die as his lungs were thrashed by the virus. His family had become very concerned and emotional about his condition and the fact that he was in a coma for his 29th birthday was even more emotionally impacting for them. However,  at some point toward the end of April he started to recover miraculously. They were able to take him off the machines, first off of the ECMO and then soon after off of the ventilator. Quickly after that he was surprisingly able to eat and drink with little problem. Per the doctors, I was told that this is unique in some way because people who are put on both these machines usually do not survive so his ability to come off of them and survive is rare. 

After having such a miraculous recovery, Josue was then faced with another challenge in which he had lost strength and mobility in his bottom half of his body due to the month of being in a medicated coma due to COVID. It was then when his physicians believed it was best to have him transferred to  a physical therapy facility, which is located inside the Southern California Hospital in Culver City off of Venice Blvd.  He was there for about 2 weeks in hopes to learn how to walk and gain strength. Josue was now released home, Friday, May 29, 2020  to continue his home therapy and gain independence from a care giver.

While Josue was in a coma his girlfriend, Rosie, attempted to help out by reaching out to CVS and Workers Compensation to see what could be done in his case, especially since he is the only wage earner in the house. Without speaking to Josue to confirm what she provided them they dismissed the ability for him to claim any financial support. This is something concerning them financially. Now that Josue in conscious he will be taking the steps to see what can be done for him.  Josue is convinced that he become ill at CVS because he was being taken to and from work. Home and work would be the only places that he would be in contact with anyone. In addition, the store in Venice off of Rose and Main St. received a call informing them that a customer who was infected with Corona Virus went into the store. According to Josue this was from someone higher up in the CVS hierarchy of positions. Two weeks later he developed a cough and fever. He called off of work, but was told by a manager “Must be nice to have a vacation.” in which made Josue go back to work. After his shift that day he fell extremely sick and a few days later was then admitted into the hospital with an advance COVID diagnose.

Josue is seeking out help from anyone who is willing to help his situation.

Thank you!