UPDATE Help Sarah Receive Needed Medical Care.

UPDATE

Some of you may know that I have suffered for many years with Bi-polar Disorder Depression Type II and Treatment Resistant Depression. These conditions caused me to take Family and Medical Leave from my job as an Art Professor. Due to these absences, I could not keep the position. The time I took off was not for mental health days (although those are important), but for two inpatient hospitalizations in Savannah. Since then, with the help of my wonderful Dr., I have been placed on Social Security Disability. This help came a little late, however, as Bi-Polar Type II can take up to 10 years to diagnose. It became clear that, after none of the many, many pharmaceutical interventions were managing my condition, I also had TRD (treatment resistant depression).

TMS, or transcranial magnetic stimulation was ineffective and, after my first hospital stay, ECT was recommended. Electroconvulsive Therapy helped enormously, but it is time-consuming, not provided in my area and, as you are put under general anesthesia, you need a ride to take you to and from treatment. I was able, for a short time and with the help of great friends, to get to these appointments. It is not a treatment I can afford or want to begin again due to concerns over memory loss. My Dr. is now recommending Ketamine Therapy, as it has proven results for patients with TRD and Bi-polar Disorder, and is far less risky than ECT.

I am grateful for the programs I do qualify for, but time out of work, copays and a Medicare-capped income have left me in a financially untenable position to begin this new treatment. Discovering and trying to manage these conditions has cost me my job and depleted my retirement savings. I have since received minimum wage employment at two locations to compensate, but I will need to take time off to receive the treatment. I am asking for help with treatment costs, wage loss, and to rebuild the financial safety net I will need to proceed in the future. Any help you can provide is greatly appreciated. Whether you can donate or not, please share widely. Sharing this story may help normalize asking for help and reduce the shame, fear and silence that the stigma attached to mental health disorders brings to those already suffering.

With gratitude,

Sarah