GREG MINIARD MEDICAL EXPENSE FUND

GREG HAS BEEN IN CLEVELAND CLINIC IN CLEVELAND, OHIO SINCE MAY 22, 2022, BEFORE HE WAS AT HAZARD ARH BEGINNING MAY 15, 2022. ALMOST 3 WEEKS OF THAT TIME WERE SPENT IN THE ICU. HE HAS UNDERGONE NUMEROUS SURGERIES ON HIS LEGS, HIS BLADDER, HIS INTESTINES AND HIS STOMACH. HE DOES HAVE INSURANCE, BUT THE INSURANCE WILL ONLY COVER A PORTION OF HIS TOTAL MEDICAL EXPENSES AND NONE OF THE TRAVEL EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH HIS STAY IN THE HOSPITAL.

HOW WE GOT HERE, IN AUGUST, 2018, GREG WAS DIAGNOSED WITH PROSTATE CANCER. HE CHOSE TO TREAT WITH RADIATION AND CHEMOTHERAPY. BEGINNING SEPTEMBER, 2018, HE UNDERWENT 45 RADIATION TREATMENTS ON HIS PROSTATE, FOLLOWED BY 13 CHEMOTHERAPY SHOTS. ONCE ALL TREATMENTS WERE COMPLETE, HE BEGAN EXPERIENCING TROUBLE URINATING; HIS DOCTORS INITIALLY DID NOT THINK MUCH OF IT, SIMPLY A SWOLLEN PROSTATE; HE WAS GIVEN PAIN MEDICATION AND A DRUG TO HELP WITH URINATION. THIS CONTINUED FOR MONTHS UNTIL MARCH, 2022 WHEN THE ISSUE GOT SO BAD THAT THE DOCTORS STARTED TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE ISSUE. IN APRIL, 2022, WITH A VARIETY OF TESTS, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT GREG’S TUBE THAT CARRIED URINE WAS BASICALLY BURNED IN TO BY THE RADIATION AND THE URINE FLOW HAD FORMED ITS OWN WAY OUT CREATING A FISTULA. HIS UROLOGIST RECOMMENDED CLEVELAND CLINIC AS ONLY A COUPLE OF HOSPITALS IN THE UNITED STATES COULD DO THE SURGERY THAT HE NEEDED. ON MAY 2, 2022, WE TRAVELED TO CLEVELAND CLINIC AND HAD A CONSULTATION WITH DR. HADLEY WOOD REGARDING HIS CONDITION. SHE ADVISED US OF THE OPTIONS AND GAVE US SOME TIME TO THINK OVER THE NEXT STEPS.

IN THE MEANTIME, FAST FORWARD TO MAY 15, 2022 AND GREG FALLS IN THE BATHROOM AT HOME AND STRUGGLES TO GET OUT OFF THE FLOOR WITH MY HELP. HE IS ADMITTED TO THE HAZARD ARH WITH A SEVERE INFECTION THROUGHOUT HIS BODY. THE DOCTORS AT HAZARD TREATED THE INFECTION TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITY UNTIL ON MAY 20, 2022 THEY MADE THE DECISION THAT THEY COULD NOT TAKE CARE OF GREG’S MEDICAL NEEDS ANYMORE AND CONTACTED HIS DOCTOR IN CLEVELAND FOR HIM TO BE TRANSFERRED THERE FOR SURGERY AND CARE. HE WAS TRANSFERRED BY AMBULANCE TO CLEVELAND CLINIC ON MAY 22, 2022 AND THIS IS WHERE HE HAS BEEN SINCE. HE IS CURRENTLY IN THE CLEVELAND CLINIC REHABILITATION FACILITY TRYING TO REGAIN HIS STRENGTH AND LEARN HOW TO WALK AGAIN.

WE HAVE HAD HELP FROM MANY FRIENDS, FAMILY AND OUR CHURCH FAMILY, BUT MANY MEDICAL EXPENSES ARE STARTING TO ROLL IN AND ANY HELP WITH GREG’S CARE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.