Helping Miguel supporting a medical emergency

Hello everyone, hope you’re doing great.

I come here today to ask for your help. My name is Luís Miguel Miranda Rocha Cardoso, a 52-year-old Portuguese citizen, who was temporarily interned in the United States, and I am here hoping to obtain any help you might kindly offer me.

August 29, during a family vacation in New York, I was forced to undergo emergency care at the New York Presbyterian Hospital following an unexpected brain bleeding in the left hemisphere. When they realized how serious my condition was, I immediately got transferred to Weill Cornell Medical Center, also in New York, where, at 5 am, underwent a first surgical intervention to drain and stabilize the bleeding. Also on Monday, around 5 pm, I suffered a more severe bleeding and had to return to the operating room. I was in the Intensive Care Unit from that day until September 6, the longest, most stressful week of my life. Due to the severity of this condition, I was forced to be in the hospital for long enough to let my family get back to Portugal since the costs in New York were unbearable and the impossibility to change flights without an uncountable penalization.

However, the job isn’t done yet and I still must undergo another surgery to reconstruct my skull. At the moment, I am recovering and anxiously waiting for the doctor’s discharged to fly back home.

Unfortunately, we all know the main health issue United States have – overly expensive health care. We are still waiting to know the costs inherent to these medical procedures and care. Luckily, I made a travel insurance I never thought I would ever need, but it only covers a maximum of 30,000 euros of medical care. It is expected that the costs will exceed the 150,000 euros, which goes way beyond the coverage.

Despite the call for help in most bureaucratic ways, it seems that no one could be available to help. Therefore, I stand here before you, guys, hoping that any of you can sympathize with all of this and remind you that all the help you can give is highly appreciated.

I truly thank you for the time spent to know my story and for any help that you might be able to give.