Help Daniel Riddle Overcome Medical Crisis

Hello fans, followers and friends of Daniel Riddle (Bird photographer and conservationist). I REALLY didn't want to get to this point but it seems this is my last resort. Many of you suggested starting this Gofundme campaign and here it is, the quest to end the nightmare I've been living for the last month. on the 8th of last month I was hospitalized for a ruptured kidney due to two "golf ball" sized kidney stones in my left kidney, which ultimately caused me to go septic and was only the beginning of this horrible nightmare. I had to fight just to have the first procedure done: having a stent put into my kidney to prevent the blockage and having the majority of the infection removed. Unfortunately I'm one of the percentage of those who's body rejects them and immediately have to fight off infections.

It’s really a crappy situation at the moment. I finally got the call about my second procedure but unfortunately it’s not looking too good. They want a $200 “deposit” just to come in and discuss the situation and THEN schedule the actual procedure (laser blasting the stones and then replace the current stent) but the procedure will cost right around $45,000 and has to be fully paid before they’ll do it.

They already had me in the operating room and spent time attempting to “clean up” the massive amount of infection. They could have easily lasered the stone while they were in there but instead they want damn near $50,000 just do the second of three procedures.

I asked them to do that AND to place a stent WITH the string attached that I could have removed at home without the need of a doctors visit when I originally went into surgery. They refused and offered ZERO reasoning behind it. I know, it’s all about ensuring a massive payday for a 20 minute procedure. I have NO CLUE if the tear in my kidney has begun to close up or if it will.

The ER already made it absolutely clear they were attempting to pump me full absurd amounts of antibiotics for three days to try and force the sepsis to die down, that way it wasn’t considered life threatening and didn’t have to perform the surgery. The director of the oncology department (the ONLY floor that had an open bed) came out and blatantly told my wife and I this in the day of the surgery. It’s down right medical malpractice and EVERY nurse that came in that room agreed. To the point that the urologist told my wife in the phone I’d have to wait months for ANY antibiotics to work due to the fact they used MASSIVE amounts in the hospital and prescription antibiotics simply wouldn’t have ANY effects.

This is what our healthcare system looks like nowadays, they put profits before peoples well being. Not everyone has health insurance, as the prices of literally everything are skyrocketing I’ve had to make cutbacks to support my family and the last on the list has been my health.

The only option I have at the moment is to drink massive amounts of lemon juice to attempt to break down the absurd sized kidney stones and do everything I can to reduce the pain associated with having a stent AND two kidney stones… which means being on 80% bed rest, which isn’t always possible. I have a family to support and bills to pay. Just like my very first encounter with this situation, I’m forced to go on living life in pain and unable to move much and wait for the sepsis to return and then maybe they will do SOMETHING about it.

The last time this happened my temperature spiked to over 105° and when I was finally admitted back into the ER and they decided it was “life threatening” I spent the first 24hrs having buckets of ice poured over me. My brain was literally cooking. My organs were put directly in harms way and risked the possibility of them shutting down. I screamed in pain and agony the entire time. It was the absolute worst situation in my entire life.

This is a major risk on my end but there’s no other option. Too young for Medicaid, I’m considered a young able bodied individual who should have no trouble paying medical bills in cash or able to afford health insurance.

I appreciate all of you out there who have reached out and asked how I have been doing, I’ve tried to reach back out and update each of you who have. Unfortunately I have about two hours of energy each day and then the pain returns in waves... excruciating pain radiating from my kidney down. I’m tired of living in pain. Mentally I’m exhausted and simply don’t feel like doing anything. I’m losing my desire to push forward and I know it’s difficult for everyone around me to watch me go through this. I tell myself to be strong and remember everything I’ve been through: including being hit by a car traveling at over 65mph at the age of 13 by a drunk driver. 5 knee dislocations. Going septic three times. 15 years of fighting teeth abscesses due to the being hit by that drunk driver and my teeth decaying from the impact of landing directly on my head and my jaws smashing together.

My life has always been a battle and even the strongest of people get tired of fighting. I want my damn life back. I truly feel like my purpose on this planet is to utilize my passion for wildlife through photography to bring awareness to the public and this situation has stopped me dead in my tracks. Anything helps, it's all going towards helping with my medical expenses and the expenses related to this current situation. Thank you for following me and my work and considering helping me through this god awful chapter.