Helping Indie and Sarah

Hi all!

 

I am Sarah and most of you have likely came across this fundraiser because you know me from my boy Indie Blue.

 

Indie Blue has SEVERAL health issues that require a lot of care. He suffers from IBD, extreme home and environmental allergies, 2x Mast Cell Cancer and he goes through consistent 4-6 week cryo treatments for hemangioma tumors that develop in massive amounts. He has torn both cruciates in his right and left knees. He also is now dealing with chronic pyoderma issues that is likely another environmental allergy response and we are having a hard time getting it in check. Most recent, on 2/9/2022, he had repeat choking episodes durning breakfast and dinner feedings that required an emergency visit to the emergency vet.

 

Indie's vet and medication costs rack up, yearly. They are LARGE and seem to get bigger each year. His cryo treatments alone are $200 every 4-6 weeks and may get more expensive because we are changing his treatments to his better, primary vet who has started doing the cryo treatments in his practice. He gets cytopoint injections to help his allergies but the effectiveness of them is lessening requiring him to get the shot more frequently in the worst parts of allergy season. Those injections are $280 JUST FOR THE SHOT and does not include his office visit. We try to do the injections when he gets his cryo but sometimes he needs it sooner.

 

My current outstanding credit card totals stand at $4,886 for what has racked up over the past year and a half or so and this does not include interest on the payments. This DOES NOT include out of pocket funds that I have been lucky enough to raise in smaller fundraisers over time for some larger procedures and surgeries that he had least year (example: he had mast cell removal surgery and dental surgery for growths in 2021). These expenses are extremely tough to keep up with as I am disabled and on a fixed income.

 

Now, on to ME.

 

I have been suffering with a lot of health ailments for about 8 years now. They started minor and have progressed over the years. To sum it up, my body wastes my electrolytes and doctors have been unable to figure out where this is happening. My organs and adrenal system are all good and not the root of the problem, but somehow, my potassium levels and magnesium levels drop in a moments notice and it's happened in near fatal instances more than once that have required hospitalization for days on infusions to just bring my levels back to the low end of "safe". I take astronomical dosages of medication that are not supposed to be taken together and that are lethal for most just to keep my levels normal and my dosages are always being adjusted upward because they only work for so long until they don't. It's always the same combination of meds and the dosages are what increase. It is a regular occurrence for the levels to drop but I have gotten pretty good at recognizing my symptoms and getting to an ER for treatment before it gets to the near fatal point. On top of this all, I have debilitating back problems and osteoarthritis taking over my body. This is my disability coupled with my electrolyte imbalances.

 

Nevada is one of a handful of states in the US that does not require insurance companies to offer supplemental health care plans to patients under the age of 65 who are on Medicare. Because this is not a requirement, NO insurance companies do. I am only 42 years old (43 this year) and I live in the state of Nevada. I do not qualify for any supplemental health coverage that helps with the 20% patient responsibility that is standard with a 80/20 Medicare plan and I do not qualify for any other state programs to assist with medical coverage or any other assistance for that matter.

 

This state is also known for it's terrible health care. There are many tests I need to have done that no doctors even do IN the state. Hard to believe, but it is true. The biggest of these tests in genetic marker testing. It is believed that my issues are a genetic problem and that there is a breakdown happening with a gene somewhere that is causing my health to spiral.

 

I have been to Cedars-Sinai (2019), UCLA (2020) and have tried to get into Loma Linda (2 year wait list). I have exhausted the California options with no answers and ever since COVID has become the bigger issue worldwide, it has been impossible to get into any California facilities to sit face to face with a doctor, get any testing done and get everything organized that needs to be done otherwise. I have been accepted to Mayo Clinic (late 2021) in Minnesota but there is also a wait list that I am on and the up costs with my patient responsibility on that 20% would likely be due up front as it is with many specialties and testing facilities. The extreme costs don't even include the travel costs and lodging costs I would be looking at. It's mind blowing and I just can't see myself being able to do it on a frequent basis.

 

This all led me to New Jersey.

 

One of my good friends referred me to her Rheumatologist. I have established care with him and have traveled to him on two occasions in 2021 for appointments. He is AMAZING and has already done so much more for me than has been done on the west coast in these past 8 years! I need to see a Nephrologist that he has referred me to and he also wants me to start with a pain doctor back there to help alleviate some of my back issues that I cannot afford to have done here because my upfront cost total about $1,400 every 6 months because, again, I cannot get a supplemental insurance here.

 

I have decided that it no longer makes sense for me to continue to rack up travel expenses seeking help and answers here and that it is 100% medically necessary for me to relocate and establish primary care in New Jersey. I have started the ball rolling with the Rheumatologist and need to start seeing the doctors he needs me to see. I cannot afford to travel and do that and I am at a bust with every road I have went down on the west coast. This doctor and all of the doctors he is referring me to are top 1% rated doctors, top of their class types and have a wealth of knowledge. They are willing to look outside of the box for me and I am hopeful that I can get on some path to answers. There are SEVERAL better options for healthcare in that entire area (NJ, NY, PA) and I can get the supplemental insurance benefits that I need to help with the cost. I owe so much money to health care in NV and CA that I will eventually have to end up filing bankruptcy just to relieve the stress of it hanging over my head because I just cannot afford any of it.

 

Housing will be affordable for me in NJ because they have many fixed income housing options for the disabled. My rent will be about the same as it is now and possibly cheaper. I will also be able to apply for housing assistance after residing in NJ for 6 months. That may be another option for help that is not available for me here in NV. I just cannot afford to live, take care of Indie and get healthcare affordably otherwise.

 

Moving expenses will run about $6,000-7,000. I have been getting estimates for movers vs U-Haul/Penske and I have considered the gas costs and lodging into the amount because I have to drive across with Indie. It appears that it will be cheaper for me to do the move myself with my dad driving the truck across with my belongings and I would follow with Indie. The truck is between $3,285 and $4,928 before taxes and whatever else they require. That is the estimate for a 16' and 20' truck. I am not sure which I would need yet but will be leaving a lot behind because its worth a lot less than it would cost to move. Basically, I will be taking furniture, clothing, kitchen gadgets and crafting with me. The moving trucks have 60 gallon tanks and get about 10 miles per gallon. No joke, I've researched. Add my gas to the mix at $400-500 and gas total will be between $1.500-1,700! Hotels will be cheap at about $400-500.

 

Please, help. I know these are terrible times we are all living in and this is a tall goal to try to achieve. I have done EVERYTHING else I could think of and sold all I have to sell. I have nothing left. This is all necessary for mine and Indie's health. I cannot continue the way I am feeling for much longer without crashing hard and burning out entirely and this is the best next option.