Let's Get Dillen Cycling Again!

I'm updating this GFM now that we're past the initial emergency of Dillen's bike accident. If you're coming across this and don't know us, on September 4, 2022, my husband Dillen was riding his mountain bike in the Carson National Forest outside Taos, New Mexico. He was hit by an ATV or some other motorized vehicle—whoever hit him didn't stick around. The result of this accident was an amputation of his left leg mid-shin.

At only 28 years old, Dillen is relearning how to walk and navigating the hell that is the US medical system. Thankfully, we've found an incredible prosthetist who works with athletes and is confident Dillen will return to cycling, skiing, and climbing. Unfortunately, insurance only pays for a limited number of mobility devices—specialized tools (attachments necessary to ski, climb, or cycle) are not considered "medically necessary."

We still owe quite a bit for the initial medical care. Insurance has let us know they've denied nearly $200k of what the hospital has billed.

Dillen has so far received one prosthetic—comprised of a socket (which goes over the stump of his leg) and a foot attachment. The total cost was over $11k, and we owe $2900 out of pocket. Moving forward, we'll have to pay out of pocket for any other attachments.

There's no place for pride in tragedy, so I'm going to leave this fund up as an easy way to share with folks who want to help us financially.

The goal is still to get attachments for skiing, climbing, and getting Dillen back to cycling. The estimated cost for these is anywhere from $5k-$30k, depending on whether a new socket is necessary to operate. Example: Right now it doesn't look like he can ride his bike in the socket he uses to walk because the support structures necessary are totally different. There's still a chance he can overlap some tools for skiing and climbing.

We're going to make this happen no matter what. Dillen's quality of life is more important to me than anything else, and so alongside leaving up this fund I am also applying to grant programs and going into debt to ensure Dillen gets the care he needs. I deeply appreciate the folks who have already helped—because of our friends and family I was able to get enough of Dillen's initial care paid for to ensure he didn't have a lapse in medication, physical therapy, or healthy meals. We've been in a nightmare since September, and worrying about money for basic needs sucks. But, we were living the equivalent of paycheck to paycheck before with two incomes, so you can imagine how it's been trying to shield Dillen from the majority of the day-to-day stress. I've seen the best and worst of humanity throughout this experience—I don't expect your help, but I appreciate it more than you know.

Asking for financial help is awkward, let's be honest. But if you're here and want to help, know every cent from these donations helps cover the prosthetics care Dillen needs now, and he's going to need care for the rest of his life. Something folks might not know about amputees is that their residual limb is forever changing—this means we can expect to pay every 3, 6 or (if we're lucky) 12 months for new sets of custom products to keep him mobile. Being able to move should be a right, not a privilege.

I was horrified to learn amputees have a significantly lower life expectancy than the general population. We don't live in a world that supports folks with mobility requirements to the extent they deserve. I'd never thought much about what it would be like to not be able-bodied before, but now I have a percentage of perspective on what Dillen struggles with every day. Imagine being unable to do something as simple as get off the couch to go to the bathroom without mobility aids. It's heartbreaking to think so much of the pain and stress for hundreds of thousands of people could be avoided by expanding access to health insurance. Until that happens, amputees are entirely dependent upon donations and grants for anything more than the bare minimum tools.