Assault recovery - Smile Again
Donation protected
Please help me Smile (and chew) again! On April 2nd, I was attacked and robbed by two men in my neighborhood. My face was slammed into a stair railing, breaking my nose, fracturing my maxillary bone, and shattering two front teeth. Insurance has been a nightmare, and essentially useless (see PART 1 for details about why I have had zero coverage on any medical expense). I am currently a full-time graduate student of Chinese Medicine in San Francisco, CA living on student loans.
There are many forms of healing taking place at this time. I am reaching out for support in any form you are able to offer. If you’ve read my story already on Facebook , jump down to PART 2: WAYS YOU CAN HELP. The most dire expense is raising money for permanent teeth, as I currently cannot chew with the ones I have. However, I CAN smile again! If you know me, you likely know: I LOVE to SMILE :-). After not being able to smile in public for two weeks, when I finally got my temporary teeth, and was able to smile, it felt like a DRUG! Smiling is amazing y'all...do it every day! :)
PART 1: Health Insurance Fiasco
*MY STORY:
Unfortunately, the hospital did not have an dental surgeon on-call. I was referred to an out-of-network surgeon the following morning. While waiting to be seen, I called my insurance company and I was told I was required to see a primary care physician BEFORE getting a referral for an in-network dental surgeon, despite having been to the ER the day before. However, the next available primary care appointment was 1.5 weeks away.
At this point, I could either go home with shattered teeth digging into my lips and exposed gum, suffering so much pain I couldn’t even drink water, or I could pay out of pocket for immediate surgery. I chose to compromise myself financially and get the surgery (with my federal student loan money, normally designated for living expenses while i complete my graduate studies).
DENTAL EXPENSES THUS FAR:
- $1,850 for dental surgery to remove two shattered teeth and create a bone-graft for the damaged root/gum area.
- $1,450 for construction of temporary teeth
CURRENT TOTAL: $3,300
SF General Dental Surgery (in-network) informed me that my insurance does NOT cover “dental implants”, which is what I will need in the next phase of my recovery. Dental implants are permanent teeth that will be inserted once my gum and jaw bone heal over the next four months.
FUTURE COSTS:
-$5,500-7000 for dental implant and crown
-$4000-9000 for cosmetic dental surgery to match these teeth to my original
FUTURE TOTAL DENTAL COSTS: $12,800- $19,300
The same difficulties have applied to my nose. I have still not been able to get an appointment with an in-network nasal surgeon. I’ve spent at least 3 hours on the phone every business day for multiple weeks in a row trying to find help. In the meantime, for safety, I visited the out-of-network doctor the ER referred me to.
NOSE EXPENSES THUS FAR:
- $360 consultation for nasal plastic surgery
FUTURE COSTS:
-$5,000-9,000 to shave a portion of the nose bone down and potentially re-level my maxillary bone (TBD in May once my bone fragments coalesce, as it is too early to tell what kind of surgery is needed)
ASIDE: **This experience has made me see the extent of inefficiency and corruption in the American health insurance system, and has thus sparked a new path of political activism for me. If you’re interested in working together on alleviating the horrors of health insurance in America, or know anyone who is, kindly direct them to the BLOG I am creating to address our lack of societal neglect in regards to systemic health-care flaws.
ASIDE #2: **If you’re interested in my healing process through this event, I am going to offer YouTube videos - https://youtu.be/ToIVt7Z3b-Y - I am hoping to include herbal medicine remedies for broken nose and damaged gums, pain remedies, meditation and qi gong for healing and stress management, and so forth. I hope my process can benefit others suffering the same.
PART 2 - WAYS YOU CAN HELP
Currently, I have no financial means of support aside from my federal student loans that I receive for graduate studies. Therefore, I am seeking financial support to have permanent teeth installed, and potential nose surgery as well.
PLEASE CONSIDER:
*OFFERING DONATIONS to help me out! I cannot chew until I get a permanent tooth installed.
($5 gets you an enormous heart-hug the next time we meet)
*SIGNING UP for one of my SERVICES (in SF or NC (june-august only); ONLINE SERVICES ALSO AVAILABLE):
*private or group yoga and/or qigong lessons
*acupressure/massage sessions
*cupping/massage sessions
*personal chef services (I’m pretty good at simple, healthy, fast meals! I can teach you how to make, or make them for you)
*lifestyle medicine consultation (aka using Chinese medicine principles to help create more balanced daily life schedule, eating habits, exercise habits, stretching routines, etc.)
*ATTENDING A FUTURE FUNDRAISING EVENTS:
-->IN SAN FRANCISCO: $5-100: *TBD sometime between May 2-5th - Soup & Juice Tasting Party in San Francisco on my building’s roof! Come enjoy liquid foods with me! Brought to you by my awesome blender :-) Since I cannot chew, I will be sharing the amazing soup recipes I have been making.
-->IN NORTH CAROLINA: $10-200: *June (date TBD) - Red Room Hot Yoga VINYASA DONATION CLASS in Chapel Hill, NC
$10-200: *July (date TBD) - Open Door Yoga HOT 90 (BIKRAM) DONATION CLASS in Raleigh, NC
--> CREATE AN EVENT: *Would you like to create a fundraising event at which I could offer any of the above mentioned services I have to offer, or to offer your own and invite your community? Would you like to raise awareness around health-care cost issues? Know any organization that might be interested in the same? Please reach out to me!
Final note about other sources of payment: I am currently working with the Victims of a Crime Services (VOCS) . Their protocols for designating money for a police report case of assault have some funding for circumstances such as this. However, I have been told multiple times that there are no guarantees, and that I will likely need an attorney to help me, considering I am unable to use my insurance for these services, and I will have to go through a many months-long process of proving that the insurance was in-fact not able to assist. The VOCS also does not process paperwork until 1-3 months after it is submitted, so I will not know the verdict for some time. In terms of legal action against the people who robbed/assaulted me - I am told one there will be no use pursuing this route, as the persons arrested do not have anything to take.
IF YOU ARE DONATING - YOU HAVE MY BIGGEST THANKS, MORE THAN WORDS COULD EVER EXPRESS.
IF I MAY BE OF SERVICE TO YOU, PLEASE LEAVE A MESSAGE INDICATING WHICH SERVICE YOU ARE DONATING TOWARDS! Then, kindly email me at [email redacted] with the subject line “SMILE”, so that we may set up a time. You may also txt me if you have my phone #.
IF YOU ARE ABLE TO OFFER ANYTHING NON-MONETARY I AM ALSO OPEN TO THIS KIND OF SUPPORT.
May we all cherish our beautiful bodies, all of our senses, and our ability to do good in this life, not harm.
THANK YOU FOR HELPING ME SMILE & CHEW AGAIN!!!
There are many forms of healing taking place at this time. I am reaching out for support in any form you are able to offer. If you’ve read my story already on Facebook , jump down to PART 2: WAYS YOU CAN HELP. The most dire expense is raising money for permanent teeth, as I currently cannot chew with the ones I have. However, I CAN smile again! If you know me, you likely know: I LOVE to SMILE :-). After not being able to smile in public for two weeks, when I finally got my temporary teeth, and was able to smile, it felt like a DRUG! Smiling is amazing y'all...do it every day! :)
PART 1: Health Insurance Fiasco
*MY STORY:
Unfortunately, the hospital did not have an dental surgeon on-call. I was referred to an out-of-network surgeon the following morning. While waiting to be seen, I called my insurance company and I was told I was required to see a primary care physician BEFORE getting a referral for an in-network dental surgeon, despite having been to the ER the day before. However, the next available primary care appointment was 1.5 weeks away.
At this point, I could either go home with shattered teeth digging into my lips and exposed gum, suffering so much pain I couldn’t even drink water, or I could pay out of pocket for immediate surgery. I chose to compromise myself financially and get the surgery (with my federal student loan money, normally designated for living expenses while i complete my graduate studies).
DENTAL EXPENSES THUS FAR:
- $1,850 for dental surgery to remove two shattered teeth and create a bone-graft for the damaged root/gum area.
- $1,450 for construction of temporary teeth
CURRENT TOTAL: $3,300
SF General Dental Surgery (in-network) informed me that my insurance does NOT cover “dental implants”, which is what I will need in the next phase of my recovery. Dental implants are permanent teeth that will be inserted once my gum and jaw bone heal over the next four months.
FUTURE COSTS:
-$5,500-7000 for dental implant and crown
-$4000-9000 for cosmetic dental surgery to match these teeth to my original
FUTURE TOTAL DENTAL COSTS: $12,800- $19,300
The same difficulties have applied to my nose. I have still not been able to get an appointment with an in-network nasal surgeon. I’ve spent at least 3 hours on the phone every business day for multiple weeks in a row trying to find help. In the meantime, for safety, I visited the out-of-network doctor the ER referred me to.
NOSE EXPENSES THUS FAR:
- $360 consultation for nasal plastic surgery
FUTURE COSTS:
-$5,000-9,000 to shave a portion of the nose bone down and potentially re-level my maxillary bone (TBD in May once my bone fragments coalesce, as it is too early to tell what kind of surgery is needed)
ASIDE: **This experience has made me see the extent of inefficiency and corruption in the American health insurance system, and has thus sparked a new path of political activism for me. If you’re interested in working together on alleviating the horrors of health insurance in America, or know anyone who is, kindly direct them to the BLOG I am creating to address our lack of societal neglect in regards to systemic health-care flaws.
ASIDE #2: **If you’re interested in my healing process through this event, I am going to offer YouTube videos - https://youtu.be/ToIVt7Z3b-Y - I am hoping to include herbal medicine remedies for broken nose and damaged gums, pain remedies, meditation and qi gong for healing and stress management, and so forth. I hope my process can benefit others suffering the same.
PART 2 - WAYS YOU CAN HELP
Currently, I have no financial means of support aside from my federal student loans that I receive for graduate studies. Therefore, I am seeking financial support to have permanent teeth installed, and potential nose surgery as well.
PLEASE CONSIDER:
*OFFERING DONATIONS to help me out! I cannot chew until I get a permanent tooth installed.
($5 gets you an enormous heart-hug the next time we meet)
*SIGNING UP for one of my SERVICES (in SF or NC (june-august only); ONLINE SERVICES ALSO AVAILABLE):
*private or group yoga and/or qigong lessons
*acupressure/massage sessions
*cupping/massage sessions
*personal chef services (I’m pretty good at simple, healthy, fast meals! I can teach you how to make, or make them for you)
*lifestyle medicine consultation (aka using Chinese medicine principles to help create more balanced daily life schedule, eating habits, exercise habits, stretching routines, etc.)
*ATTENDING A FUTURE FUNDRAISING EVENTS:
-->IN SAN FRANCISCO: $5-100: *TBD sometime between May 2-5th - Soup & Juice Tasting Party in San Francisco on my building’s roof! Come enjoy liquid foods with me! Brought to you by my awesome blender :-) Since I cannot chew, I will be sharing the amazing soup recipes I have been making.
-->IN NORTH CAROLINA: $10-200: *June (date TBD) - Red Room Hot Yoga VINYASA DONATION CLASS in Chapel Hill, NC
$10-200: *July (date TBD) - Open Door Yoga HOT 90 (BIKRAM) DONATION CLASS in Raleigh, NC
--> CREATE AN EVENT: *Would you like to create a fundraising event at which I could offer any of the above mentioned services I have to offer, or to offer your own and invite your community? Would you like to raise awareness around health-care cost issues? Know any organization that might be interested in the same? Please reach out to me!
Final note about other sources of payment: I am currently working with the Victims of a Crime Services (VOCS) . Their protocols for designating money for a police report case of assault have some funding for circumstances such as this. However, I have been told multiple times that there are no guarantees, and that I will likely need an attorney to help me, considering I am unable to use my insurance for these services, and I will have to go through a many months-long process of proving that the insurance was in-fact not able to assist. The VOCS also does not process paperwork until 1-3 months after it is submitted, so I will not know the verdict for some time. In terms of legal action against the people who robbed/assaulted me - I am told one there will be no use pursuing this route, as the persons arrested do not have anything to take.
IF YOU ARE DONATING - YOU HAVE MY BIGGEST THANKS, MORE THAN WORDS COULD EVER EXPRESS.
IF I MAY BE OF SERVICE TO YOU, PLEASE LEAVE A MESSAGE INDICATING WHICH SERVICE YOU ARE DONATING TOWARDS! Then, kindly email me at [email redacted] with the subject line “SMILE”, so that we may set up a time. You may also txt me if you have my phone #.
IF YOU ARE ABLE TO OFFER ANYTHING NON-MONETARY I AM ALSO OPEN TO THIS KIND OF SUPPORT.
May we all cherish our beautiful bodies, all of our senses, and our ability to do good in this life, not harm.
THANK YOU FOR HELPING ME SMILE & CHEW AGAIN!!!
Organizer
Sinead Corrigan
Organizer
San Francisco, CA