Penny needs your help with ongoing medical costs
Donation protected
UPDATE 02/21/2019
i thought we were done. i thought i was finally in the clear. it makes me sick at heart to have to post to this fundraiser again. my insurance company has denied all claims related to the ambulance company that 911 dispatched while i was, quite literally, in the process of bleeding to death. they have decided that, due to the fact that i neglected to regain consciousness and verify that the ambulance was in-network, i owe the entirety of those fees.
they have also denied all claims related to the second ambulance that carried me, half conscious, to UI Health, where i was given 4 units of blood to stabilize me and placed in the ICU for 4 days. again, they are paying NOTHING.
$8000 is the price tag they have assigned to what is left of my life. $8000 that i don't have purchases the right to go on living.
i need help. i cannot afford this. i am trying to fight it but prepared for the worst. the worst is that they really can put a price tag on you. how much it's worth to be kept alive.
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My friends, I have something to tell you, something I never thought I would be able to say: I have a date set for GRS (Gender Reassignment Surgery ). I will be having surgery in early October.
This should be an unambiguously joyful announcement. I am extremely fortunate that my insurance covers the procedure itself, as well as my hospital stay.
... but unfortunately, as you have probably guessed, that's not the whole picture. I still have to meet a very high insurance deductible ($2000). I will also still need to financially support myself and my housemate through an anticipated 6 week recovery period, while only getting 60% of my regular salary for that time period. And there are smaller expenses, too numerous to mention.
So I'm reaching out to my friends and loved ones. I'm reaching out to friends-of-friends. I'm asking for your help. If you can contribute even a very small amount, you'll be helping me and my spouse through a very stressful period. You'll be helping make this the joyful change it was meant to be.
My total expenses will likely come out to much more $2,000, but I know that many of my friends are struggling financially, themselves. I'll take whatever help I can get.
If you can't help financially but are in the Chicago area, any other support you can offer would be very welcome. Your company and companionship during the healing process would mean the world to me.
i thought we were done. i thought i was finally in the clear. it makes me sick at heart to have to post to this fundraiser again. my insurance company has denied all claims related to the ambulance company that 911 dispatched while i was, quite literally, in the process of bleeding to death. they have decided that, due to the fact that i neglected to regain consciousness and verify that the ambulance was in-network, i owe the entirety of those fees.
they have also denied all claims related to the second ambulance that carried me, half conscious, to UI Health, where i was given 4 units of blood to stabilize me and placed in the ICU for 4 days. again, they are paying NOTHING.
$8000 is the price tag they have assigned to what is left of my life. $8000 that i don't have purchases the right to go on living.
i need help. i cannot afford this. i am trying to fight it but prepared for the worst. the worst is that they really can put a price tag on you. how much it's worth to be kept alive.
-------
My friends, I have something to tell you, something I never thought I would be able to say: I have a date set for GRS (Gender Reassignment Surgery ). I will be having surgery in early October.
This should be an unambiguously joyful announcement. I am extremely fortunate that my insurance covers the procedure itself, as well as my hospital stay.
... but unfortunately, as you have probably guessed, that's not the whole picture. I still have to meet a very high insurance deductible ($2000). I will also still need to financially support myself and my housemate through an anticipated 6 week recovery period, while only getting 60% of my regular salary for that time period. And there are smaller expenses, too numerous to mention.
So I'm reaching out to my friends and loved ones. I'm reaching out to friends-of-friends. I'm asking for your help. If you can contribute even a very small amount, you'll be helping me and my spouse through a very stressful period. You'll be helping make this the joyful change it was meant to be.
My total expenses will likely come out to much more $2,000, but I know that many of my friends are struggling financially, themselves. I'll take whatever help I can get.
If you can't help financially but are in the Chicago area, any other support you can offer would be very welcome. Your company and companionship during the healing process would mean the world to me.
Organizer
Penny Zimmerman
Organizer
Chicago, IL