Susan and Juan Hernandez

This GoFundMe account is to help Susan and her family. As many of you know Susan is a truly compassionate person and is always helping others. She’s collected weather event donations for Haiti, Puerto, the Island of St. Vincent, eyeglasses for other countries, blankets for the homeless, supplies for a small church in San Antonio just to name a few of the many - many things she has done often without being asked. Locally she’s heavily involved in animal rescue, fostering dogs, cats, collecting for local charities she has a very big heart and is a “giver” – Susan and her family are in need.

For those of you that know of their situation, Juan, Susan's husband of 20 years works on a tropical fish farm in the Homestead area of South Florida. Part of his job is to siphon water from tanks to clean them or catch the fish and submerge himself inside the water of the fish filled in-ground ponds which are about 10’x20’ by 12’ deep or so.

In June of 2021 he started to get very painful and bad blistering in his mouth. Then he developed abscesses all over his nose, his head and in July Juan started with the abscesses on his chest, back and fast forward two months they are on his feet, legs, and groin area. The blisters in his mouth have totally covered the inside of his lips, cheeks, and tongue. At this point all he can eat is soup broth or baby food - nothing cold at all and nothing with texture. He’s lost over 25 pounds.

They have seen the following Dr.’s: dentist twice, Urgent Care twice, their General Dr. three times including blood work, the first dermatologist did scrapes and discovered he tested positive for MRSA, a staph infection, fungi and bacterial infections, the ER once for an IV of Vanco antibiotics, an Infection Disease (ID) Dr. twice which more tests being done, then the ID referred them to a Dr. Waibel who is world-recognized leader and innovator in dermatologic laser surgery. Each of these doctors that they saw gave them various diagnoses and changed his medications and the treatments he was undergoing to “rule out” what it could be.

Dr. Waibel finally gave them a diagnosis of Linear igA Bullous Dermatosis - they must rule out Bullous Pemphigoid - thus the biopsy on his back and the stitches. Juan has an autoimmune disease which once it is “under control” he will have his whole life and can control with meds.

He hasn’t worked for the past month, and he won't be able to go back to back work for at least three more months until all the open wounds are healed. His company does not pay any sick time and they used up his 5 days of vacation already – he has worked there for a total of 8 years this time and 10 years previously.

They also have to reimburse his company for the monthly insurance premiums if they agree to keep him on their policy without him physically going to work daily – they are too small they do not offer Cobra – this monthly insurance is $800 a month x 4 months - $2,400. So far, and they are out of pocket $4,300 just including co-pays and meds from May through August 19th, 2021, not including the medical insurance payments they have to reimburse to the employer and his total loss of wages for what will be a total of 5 months.

Between this disease and his loss of pay, reimbursement of the medical insurance, the medical bills, and meds, they are truly in a difficult spot and now its our turn to help them!!