Hello,
My name is Angela, I am a young woman reaching out today with humility and hope, seeking assistance during a challenging time in my life. I am living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and rely on disability benefits as my primary source of income, which is just barely under $1,000 a month. While this alone makes ends meet difficult to already achieve, my health has recently taken another serious toll, leaving me in a dire financial situation.
For 2 and a half years prior I was already having problems with being able to eat any kind of meat or more solid foods that had to be chewed more to accomplish swallowing so I mostly did not eat meat unless it was soft chicken and sometimes ground beef but both still could be troublesome to eat, I could not afford to get a dental plan and Medicaid does not cover dental in the state of Alabama for adults and saving money was not really and option considering I barely got by with paying bills with what little I had which was an issue. Then recently 5 months ago, I was unable to eat due to a more severe medical issue. My throat became so swollen from a large mass and my tonsils that food couldn’t pass through. The situation was agonizing and very scary, it took doctors and specialists weeks on end with a series of test and scans, which felt like a lifetime to finally diagnose and began the treatment. However, this wasn’t the end of my struggles.
Compounding this, I developed a severe bacterial infection in my top and bottom back molars, which hence was partially the problem to why my tonsils were swollen besides the mass that was found. These teeth couldn’t be pulled because they were so bad off and were wrapped around the bone, requiring surgical removal instead. Unfortunately, I had to pay for these procedures out of pocket. Now, I am left without any lower molars and a few that were also taken out on top in order to clear the severe infection and I am struggling to eat properly.
My dentist has explained that I’ll require implants or partial bottom dentures and also implants on the top to regain the ability to eat and maintain my nutrition. However, the cost is beyond what I can afford, given my limited income and the recent medical expenses I’ve already had to cover.
This is why I am asking for help. Any assistance, no matter the amount, would make a profound difference in my life and help me take a critical step toward recovery and stability. Being able to eat again would not only improve my health but also my quality of life.
Thank you for taking the time to read my story. I truly appreciate your kindness, compassion, and support during this very difficult time for me.