So when my friends and a few coworkers suggested making this as an avenue for them to help me after watching me struggle physically, emotionally and financially the last few years I was very hesitant. I have always been the one trying to help others and always have a very hard time opening up and accepting help myself. Some of you may know my medical history over the years, others may know bits and pieces and some of you probably not at all. I tend to not talk a lot about it and just deal with what life hands me and try and remain positive, working in medical I am always humbled and realize it could always be worse. However, I’ve been on a pretty long, tiring journey lately and have been asked to share my story for this because some people would like to help. To anyone that does in any way, shape or form know how grateful I am. I am also hoping that by putting my story on here, with the very unflattering photos to follow, sorry in advance, potentially someone else who is going through this will see my story and not have to go through all the same stuff I have. I have been dealing with a range of medical issues for a while now. Two major things have been going on and worsening for the last few years. Insurance, even working in the hospital has pushed back every step of the way, dictating what was covered, how many times I was able to go, and what percentage. My medical debt and other daily and monthly bills have suffered from trying to make myself healthy. The first one is a continuation of the struggles I have had with my back through the years. I have kyphosis in my thoracic spine at levels T8-T11, my vertebrae are essentially wedged and causing my spine to curve outwards, giving the appearance of the rounded back I’ve had my entire life. I had surgery roughly 5 years ago to try and help with some of the pain, which did but I still dealt with it daily. Earlier this year I was lucky enough to be contacted by an agent who had somehow seen my story from before and told me about a new chiropractor series, the only one out there for chiropractors on TLC that was being made called Crack Addicts. I have always been afraid of chiropractors because you hear a lot of negative things and with already having a spine that wasn’t normal I steered clear in the past. I took a chance this time though and agreed to go to Florida with much insisting from the production team and filmed with them for an episode. I met with an amazing doctor, Dr. Alessandra Colón and her team who educated me on my spine issues, gave me some relief, and helped set me up with a trusted professional in my area to continue with. Unfortunately, when I came back insurance only would approve me for so much and certain people. Being that I can’t just have any person working on my spine I opted to go to them anyway and am paying for it mostly out of pocket. I have been seeing them for a few months now and although surgery is the only thing that will ever fully correct this issue they have been working on getting more mobility into my spine and help ease the daily pain. The second issue I have been dealing with is in my abdomen. Two and a half years ago I started having intermittent distention on the left side, it was very sporadic and would go away so I didn't think much of it. As time went on it became increasingly worse and was accompanied with nausea, vomiting and pain. Somedays this would last a few hours, sometimes days. I started gaining weight no matter what dieting and exercise or lack of eating from the issues I did. My PCP sent me to a gastroenterologist because she was unable to figure it out. I ended up going and seeing four different gastroenterologists in my area, and was told an array of things from nothing is wrong with you, we think you need antidepressants, go on a diet, it was my period, sorry you don’t like how you look, maybe you should consider lipo in that area, if you just lay flat you look normal. The list goes on and on. My PCP finally told me I was her little unicorn and I needed to start going to the Cleveland Clinic or Mayo Clinic to try and get the help I wasn’t receiving here. I have been out there since August of 2024. I have seen multiple specialists and had so many tests and procedures done I can’t even begin to name them all. My insurance company has fought me every step of the way approving very little at first. I was able to win appeals and finally get a continuation of care until the end of December of this year and then they won’t pay again deeming it not necessary for me to be out there, so once again all costs for follow up will be on me. Two of my doctors have finally figured out what they 90% believe is going on. As some of you know I had bariatric surgery ten years ago because of hormonal imbalances I was having they thought it would help. After the surgery, I lost some weight but not as much as most people usually lose. We chalked it up to still issues with my hormones and took the win of any weight loss was better than none as it helped with some of my other issues going on. In my last appointment with the gastroenterologist and bariatric surgeon in Cleveland my stomach area and small intestines are not how they should be at all. The intestines they believe are being encased with scar tissue and it’s causing partial blockages and then luckily releasing on its own so they need to go in and get the scar tissue off my intestines so it opens them back up. The dr said they would also measure them and cut some out if needed since there were big loops in that area as well. As far as my stomach itself, from the gastric bypass surgery the doctor stated it looks nothing like it should, it is distended, misshapen and the sections aren’t properly attached and routed how they should be. He explained this is an issue that wasn’t created over time with my doing, it was something that wasn’t properly done in the beginning and I’m just now starting to get the extreme complications from it. I am gearing up for a pretty massive surgery in the next few weeks. The surgeon has said he will fully cut me open and remove the stomach and intestines and redo the whole thing, stitching it all by hand to ensure that it is done properly this time, as well as deal with the intestines and potential for more when he opens me up. Recovery is going to be intense and I will be off work for a while especially because my job involves lifting and moving patients. I struggle with the thoughts of all this. I am so grateful that someone finally listened to me and I was validated in knowing something wasn’t right with my body although I was told countless times I was fine. As of right now surgery date is August 23, although once again insurance still hasn’t approved it so I’m not sure what I will do financially if they don’t. This has taken a toll on me in so many ways, physically, emotionally and financially. One shouldn’t have to fight so hard or choose what bills to pay each month or worry about if they can get groceries or choose to try and get themselves healthy and fixed but unfortunately that’s the battle I’ve been doing for two years with both my back and stomach. It is worse now than it has ever been, I am sick more days than not and not having this surgery and getting the care I need isn’t an option. I have included some photos of both my spine and what I’ve been dealing with stomach wise, at least what you can see outwardly, I know they are a bit graphic and unattractive but I want to add them so that as I said before if anyone else is running into this issue maybe they will be able to use this as something that won’t take them years and countless years to get someone to listen and help. Thank you to anyone who has been a part of this journey so far and I will continue to keep everyone posted.
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