Support Youmi Griffin's Urgent Eye Surgery

Hello everyone, my name is Youmi Griffin. I live in Queens, NY. I am 34 years and I would like to talk to you about my condition and why I am asking for donations. I have always been a hard worker, since I was very young, so asking for help is really hard for me, but my situation leaves me with no other alternatives.

It was iritis that started when I was 14. I got it again at 17, at 20, and then again at 24 after my daughter was born. The opthamologist said I have a reoccurring iritis, which is actually called uveitis.

To prevent permanent uveitis, I had to use a bunch of eye drops. From there it then led to a glaucoma specialist, which was not controlling the pressure in my eyes with oral medication or any eyes drops, so I ended up with glaucoma surgery on my left eye. It was the worst, most traumatic experience I've ever had in my life. It was not a general anesthesia. They had my eye open, had some sort of sheet over my eye, so all I could see were the shadows of the doctors and nurses, their hands moving around me. I could feel the tugging and pulling. Then when the surgeon started to cut inside my eye I felt pain, so the surgeon had to call the anesthesiologist to come in, but he said that for my height and weight, that was the maximum dosage that I was able to receive and that we will need to reschedule if I cannot take it. At that time I worked at a law office, so taking time off from work was extremely hard, so I just asked the doctor to continue. I felt so much pain and it was so scary. When they stitched me, and he was cutting the excessive stitch off, it landed on my eyeball and I could feel all of it!

After the surgery, I was in so much pain during the first week. It felt like there was a box cutter inside my eye. That's how uncomfortable and painful it was. My eye would bleed constantly. I said I would never repeat this surgery again. I'd rather die! The doctor says, that due to my uveitis, out of four different glaucoma surgeries, the Ahmed Glaucoma Valve (AGV) surgery, is the best option for me. At this point that eye is practically blind due to the side effects, "cataract ". I can only really see out of my right eye and thats the one that needs to be operated on now. The doctor explained to me that I will get cataract no matter what, due to my uveitis. I will need to schedule upcoming cataract surgery after this surgery because I've been waking up with blurred vision on my right eye too because of very high eye pressure (as if I have cataract in both eyes now). I've had to take days off from work. I have practically no income at the moment, but have to continue to see the doctor with copay costs and I am not even able to pay for my monthly insurance coverage bill or anything else for that matter. I urgently ask for your help. I am asking for 5k to cover my backed up medical bills and the copay for the surgery. With today's cost of living, and the fact that I cannot work, it makes it really hard for me to make ends meet, let alone be able to pay for this surgery. Anything that you can help out with will be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time.

Love,

Youmi Griffin