My Funder

In my previous post I spoke of the wonderful work of Bill Pulte and the awareness of charitable giving that's being raised by it. Inspired by his generosity thousands are joining in to help people when they most need it. I also need to mention @codeofvets for the wonderful work she has been doing on behalf of #Veterans in need. So, now just a short post about my fundraiser and the considerations I put into it.

My Funder is not about covering all of the costs that I will incur. My best estimation is that fully funded three thousand dollars will sustain me until I can get back to work. No frills, just keeping up a meager existence throughout this medical process. If I had to guess, the real cost of my medical treatment and lost wages would land near the ten thousand dollar mark. By keeping the fundraiser amount lower I hope people would be more inclined to give.

Mine is not a case that draws universal sympathy. Mine is a case of someone deprived of making a living by a faceless and unfeeling bureaucracy. It's the most unspectacular problem someone can face. This isn't something that grabs another person by the heart strings. As a result, my fundraiser doesn't grow in leaps and bounds. It requires constant promotion to gather donations and that is why I always ask people to share my story on their social media.

After being diagnosed as type two diabetes several years back I took control of my diet to avoid complications. This year's physical my A1c was 5.9 without medication and my weight was down 25lbs to 175lbs. To my complete surprise the doctor suggested that I should have a sleep study done.

Consider that for a moment. I hadn't been asked for a sleep study when I weighed a little over two hundred pounds. Now having lost weight and bringing my A1c into a normal range the doctor requires yet another test. Why? Because after all of these years of constant unrelenting test this is one that hasn't been done. It's really just that simple. Let no good deed go unpunished.

Perhaps I strayed a bit from my intended topic, I apologize. I wanted to add some context to my story. I wanted to illustrate why I'm saying that I set the limit for my fundraiser on the lower side. Let me further demonstrate the lengths to which this excessive testing goes.

Last year the cardiologist that I was using ordered a heart catheter after my stress test came back normal. Why? Because he could. When the heart catheterization came back with no issues he went on to order a electrophysiology study which comes in at a tidy 80k. I then consulted a VA doctor about this and he said don't do it. He said this test was for an irregular heartbeat and since I had never had a irregular heartbeat there was no grounds to support asking for that test.

Have I set the goal for my fundraiser too low? Do you think my fundraiser is worthwhile? The comments section is open. Would you like to see more posts? The first $50 donation will have me working away at another post!

Thanks,
Kirby McCain
My Medical Fundraiser