Hello fellow Americans We have we an extended injury in our family and please need help right now with medical expenses, deductibles, out of pocket expenses, recovery expenses , bills, and dog day care and vet expenses. ( golf photo old photo)

At the start of the year by husband's work contract ended suddenly. A deep shock. ( no he was not fired or anything like that) We had to move State when this ending happened as that position had him relocated somewhere remote in a new State 3 years ago . When it ended we made our way to  a new life on East Coast by car from Wyoming/Idaho. However, driving en route ,  out of nowhere,  my husband started to get some unusual sudden debilitating physical spine symptoms and a lot of pain. We had to change plans immediately, and push for Phoenix instead, which was two hours away with a full range of emergency medical care.  Jim's retirement savings were already fully  spent the year previously with industry strike my broken foot( still healing) etc so we were stressed and wrought as it was.

In Phoenix, Jim wax so debilitated he couldn't walk at all and was screaming in pain.  

I took an unplanned hotel and the burden of this unplanned expense for what ended up being for over 6 days, as Jim was hospitalized by Mayo Clinic Emergency for three - four nights.  The Mayo did CT scans, blood work and gave him an epidural to figure out what was wrong with his lumbar spine and why painkillers were not working. Then, shockingly and suddenly, the Mayo threw him out when he still couldn't walk because of insurance would not cover more (We have insurance until August this year, but are now behind on payments and still have many copays, out of pockets and other expenses, the insurance soon expiring, with Jim still needing treatment and now myself for my own new injuries this past two weeks). 

We realized we had an overwhelming issue on our hands. It was all too much to contemplate anything but getting Jim walking. We had to  change route completely and make it to the next state a state we knew better  with Jim having enough steroids in him for the 3-4 hour car drive. 

All our household things  were/are still in storage in Wyoming/Idaho, and we had no hope of making it to the East coast. A new life and new work was out of the question.  To top it all off, things happen in threes, suddenly on the way to Palm Springs Jim received word that his Mother died unexpectedly on the East coast. He was determined to to fly for the funeral even though he couldn’t walk for more than 30 feet without doubling over in pain, and off he went to the funeral for two nights. I took the unexpected burden ,again, a burden that we couldn’t afford of two 1 month long airbnbs as I knew there was going to be more to come with this debilitating injury.  

Sure enough, Jim got back from the funeral in even worse pain, and was abruptly hospitalized again - this time for over a week in Palm Springs in searing summer heat. Jim was screaming doubled over and no amount or type of painkillers were stopping it. The hospital tried every kind of painkiller. The hospital in Palm Springs worked hard for days, we are very appreciative,  to find what was wrong and after an MRI found Jim had a badly bulging disc on a  higher rare disc,  at a very unusual angle in his spine, pressing prominently on a nerve that goes down his leg. A debilitating and bad case of bulging disc  and  a seriously pinched nerve. Another epidural was given time in the right place.. He tried physical therapy.  Nothing worked except minor relief, but  Jim still couldn't and can't walk far.  He can drive thankfully.He has lost most social life beyond me and the dog.

We knew by this time we had to find where to live other than Airbnb and how to get there. Southern California LA- San Diego- Santa Barbara seemed logical due to my industry and  potential work but when we looked we were completely priced out of the rental market in what is usually my adopted long time home state. So Jim took more  painkillers, working with the hospital , to effect the 7 day drive across the country. We did that drive to rent a more affordable  apartment on the east coast and with the hope James pain would ease. 

We have got the apartment, barely, no furniture in it, however, all Jim’s pain has returned and he is still currently debilitated to the extent that he still can’t walk more than 20 - 50 ft at  one time without crying out or doubling over. A nerve block in a different place was attempted, but has not worked - in fact, it made things worse. Now they are going to try a final epidural in the next two weeks. Then that is his allotment for the year. If that does not work he has to have major and difficult spine surgery that will take him months to recover. Meanwhile, our insurance has run out in late August. unless we pay catch up amounts. With deductibles, bills and co payments - also from my broken foot at the end of last year,  and the fact I have to do mammograms , and an MRI this week for some for my own new cervical spine and shoulder injury. We  really appreciate any and all your help for this hopefully temporary situation that has been going on for months. Jim is far from retired, and is actively interviewing.  If Jim’s final epidural doesn’t yield relief, Jim he has to have major surgery. We also have our rescue dog and dog daycare expenses. Vet bills have been reasonably high and we still need more dog day care while we attend to these medical matters

We are navigating complex medical appointment schedules and an  emotional landscape and heavy burden of financial and work uncertainties . Combined with this temporary (but  it has been significant) prolonged temporary reduced capacity due to my husband injury. The costs have added and are adding up quickly – the sudden burden of unexpected expenses for months on end . Treatment and insurance costs bills  and out of pocket expenses are astronomical and we have dog /vet bills too.  We appreciate you. Anyone who knows Jim knows that to have no social life, not be able to make people laugh when out and about and go on long hikes or golf and swim is very hard on him. We want him better and sometimes it takes more than one person..it takes a village. We all like to think we are superman, Jim especially,  but we simply are not.

Love Anna and Jim