Got Liver? (Re-post)

This is a plea for help.
My dear friend and partner of almost ten years, Jesse Bannister, has been finally properly diagnosed with Nonalchoholic Steatohepatitis with Cirrhosis of the Liver meaning he will need a transplant.
He has been to many doctors in the last 2 years and not one has made a proper diagnosis till recently. He lost his job due to illness last November and tried to do real estate, became an agent, and then became too ill to work. Things came to a head when I finally ask him to go to the hospital after his 40th birthday, June 28th. That was in early July when he finally went to his sister's in another town and she took him the next day. I don't blame him for not going here, as we have a hospital with a notorious reputation.

The picture above is the one he chose for his real estate image. The picture below is the most current one. He told me he wants to live and has become very disciplined about his diet and already has lost almost 100 pounds. His goal wieght is 175 and he's at 198. He's has had an eating disorder all his life which along with genetics contributed to his condition.



So here's the plea.
Jesse, "Buck", needs a transplant. The doctor told him he had only a few weeks to live had he not gone for treatment.

Unfortunately, he cannot receive the transplant workup or be put on the transplant list unless he has some sort of health coverage such as Medicare and/or Medicaid or can show an ability to pay the costs of the workup and surgery.

Because the agencies are taking so long to make a determination we are requesting help from family, friends and their contacts. Besides having to raise money to insure his transplant workup gets done as soon as possible he needs to cover the several thousand dollars he already owes for his treatment. Since he has no income his care, treatment, and the cost of medicines have to be covered by family members or received on credit. Every day he goes without the workup and his name on the transplant list is a day that he may have missed an opportunity for a new liver.

Even with Medicare and/or Medicaid the out of pockets costs will be enormous. These will include things like immunosuppressive drugs, hotel expenses for family members to be close during the surgery and recovery, as well as hospital and doctor expenses not covered by the insurance.

You can learn more about Buck at his blog, Got Liver?
There is information there on how you can help financially if you would like to.
Thank you also for your kind thoughts and encouragement.

Link on Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis

Link to Cirrhosis


Thanks so much. me in the EE