I've been disabled since July 2019, after a pulmonary embolism that nearly took my life. That plus complications from Graves Disease, have caused years of metabolic and physical complications. Since moving to the Houston area, my medical care has improved dramatically, and for the first time in years I'm on a real path toward becoming functional again. But I cannot complete that path without help.

Right now, I'm facing several urgent medical issues that prevent me from moving forward:

1. Cataracts: Surgeries have been completed for both eyes. I still owe about $300 in copays and have incurred over $500 in credit card debt to cover copays, medications and transportation to post surgical doctor visits before I was cleared to resume driving.
2. Severe bunion (left foot): The deformity affects multiple toes, causes constant pain, and makes it impossible to walk or stand for any meaningful length of time.
3. Degenerating right hip: Some days I cannot walk more than 50 feet. Surgery is required to restore mobility.

These conditions are treatable, and once corrected, I will return to work. But the financial burden of getting through this period is overwhelming. In fact, it was the metabolic problems and aftermath from the pulmonary embolism that initially rendered me disabled and unable to work. Now, receiving better medical care, I would have returned to work already, but the foot, hip and vision problems have kept me on the sidelines.

The real costs I'm facing include medications, specialist copays ($30 each) and surgical copays, which start at $300 and can be as much as $500 or more each, depending on the facility and the procedure. In addition, years of disability forced me to rely on credit to cover medical necessities, treatments, copays, transportation to appointments when I was unable to dirve, plus unexpected expenses. This debt is not from overspending — it is the direct result of trying to survive while disabled and without local emergency aid.

I want to be clear: I'm not looking for a bailout or a free ride. I'm facing a unique medical and financial crisis, and I need help to get through the next few months so I can return to stable, productive, self-sufficient work.

The $20,000 goal reflects the combined cost of:

1. Surgical copays for multiple procedures, some of which have already been incurred and others that will be incurred soon.
2. Specialist visits and follow-up care.
3. Transportation to medical appointments (following surgery, I will not be permitted to drive during early recovery).
4. Basic living expenses during recovery, including food deliveries from grocers, medicine deliveries from pharmacies and unexpected expenses that are bound to arise despite careful planning.
5. Stabilizing the medical-related debt that accumulated during years of disability

A previous supplemental income source (plasma donation) is no longer available to me, which has made the situation much harder than it was when I could plan on receiving at least $300 per month from those plasma donations. As a former professional chef, I also took on lucrative catering and private culinary gigs; I can not perform that work until foot and hip problems are corrected.

Local emergency aid in my ZIP code is essentially nonexistent. The only organization that claims to offer help has phone lines open only one day a month, and the system cannot handle the call volume. So, although they exist on paper, they are functionally inaccessible.

Your support — in any amount — will help me complete the medical care I need, stay housed and stable during recovery, and regain the ability to work again. Even sharing this campaign makes a real difference.

Thank you for your compassion and generosity.