My son is 29. He has overcome significant learning disabilities to graduate cum laude from Chicago's Columbia College and to find work in a very difficult field, video editing. He was just about to shoot a behind the scenes for an indie film - a job that could have been a real break for him - when he noticed he was feeling tired. Rest and better eating did not help. He went to the doctor. The doctor thought he was run down. And he took bloodwork. And then we were plunged into a nightmare.
At 10 a.m on a Saturday the phone rang. The internist said "Get him to a hospital now. If he can't walk, call an ambulance." My son was in the kitchen pouring cereal. 24 hours later, he was in Rush University Medical Center with a diagnosis of Acute Myeloid Leukemia.
He went into remission with induction therapy but anyone who knows about this disease knows that remission does not equal cure. This disease comes back. My son needs a bone marrow transplant. He is blessed in that there are matches who seem to be available and are being tested now. I am not asking for your blood or bone marrow.
My son bought - with half his monthly salary - a health insurance policy from Blue Cross Blue Shield. But he did not have dental insurance - he could not afford it. We could not afford it for him. And in order to get a bone marrow transplant he needs dental clearance, and fast. There is no time for dental schools (I called) or other charity options. He has exactly one week to get the work done before he needs another round of consolidation chemo. The "window of opportunity" is next week only; his counts will be high enough after his last chemo to present minimal risk of bleeding or infection.
I have set up - most reluctantly, I have never asked the community here for any help of this sort before and I am horrified to need to do it now - a fundraising page for him. We have to get this work done - and he needs an extraction and a root canal - next week in order to get dental clearance (any risk of infection during a bone marrow transplant can be fatal). So if you can help us, we would be beyond grateful. Can you share this with anyone who might be able to help? I know there is always a question of validity in these matters and another well respected kossack came to visit my son and I in Rush and I think would be willing to vouch for us if there are doubts.
Here is his fundraising page: http://www.youcaring.com/...
Thank you - and I am sorry to burden this community in this way.
8:36 AM PT: Update - our goal has been met. Thank you all so much. I have no final idea what his dental work will cost but I am confident this will cover a great part of it and am SO grateful to the community. Waiting to hear from his doctor if his counts are good enough to get work done today if it is badly needed.
12:14 PM PT: I haven't been able to write much on here because I have been very busy caring for my son and calling his doctors and trying to line up appointments. Please don't take that as an indication of my lack of gratitude. It is impossible for me to say how much your help means to me. It is, in fact, impossible for me to write it without tears. My son is an amazing person who has overcome much and has an exceptionally kind heart for anyone who is marginalized, hurting, or in need. To see this happen to him has bent me to the ground in ways I didn't know were possible. Your help and prayers and support are platinum to me. I can never thank you enough.