CALL FOR HELP: PREPARING FOR CHEMO-BASED STEM CELL TREATMENT TO BEAT MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

Sunday, December 29th, 2019

5 days until #KrysBeatsMS

Right now, I'm reaching out because I still need a good amount of immediate support to lessen the burden on my family: my parents are elderly, working-class immigrants who've already lost a son, and my disabled younger brother just came out of hernia surgery.

If you have some resources & capacity to spread some holiday cheer, I'd be incredibly grateful to anyone who could glance through this list and provide some support. I can be reached at krysbeatsms@gmail.com.

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WAYS YOU CAN HELP ME (KMR) NOW:

The most obvious way to support is through a recurrent donations:

• Donate to gofundme.com/krys-beats-ms;
• VenMo (@KrysMendez88);
• Paypal (chrismendez88@gmail.com).

(Note: Other arrangements can be made, but not while I'm quarantined in the clinic. If you don’t have access to these accounts and want to help, you can reach out to someone who does.)

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ITEMS NEEDED DURING THE STEM CELL TRANSPLANT

A) Hygiene/Cleaning Supplies

• Hand sanitizers and cleaning supplies for electronic devices (e.g. laptops, phones, a borrowed X box, etc); medical gloves, masks, hand sanitizers, etc.

B) Medications (current and post-treatment)

• I'll need help re-stocking medications I've been taking regularly for years, and which can be bought OTC (over-the-counter) in Mexico.

C) Products to Help Manage Chemo, Fatigue, and Pain

• CBD products--those *without THC*--work quite well for me.
• I'm also open to trying homeopathic herbs & ointments/topicals (with doctors' approval). Not to mention exercises and physical therapy routines.

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POST-TREATMENT SUPPLIES & NEEDS

D) Extended Housing in Monterrey

• My parents and I decided it made most sense to stay another month in Monterrey because February in New York City--historically one of coldest months in one of the germiest & most crowded cities in Americas--sounds too risky for someone with a baby immune system.
• If/when possible, I will try to come up with an average estimate for a hotel, house, or Airbnb in February, with some possibility of extending this to March. The location would need to accommodate a wheelchair/walker and need to be in a less populated & well ventilated environment.

E) Transportation Costs

• Mostly for transportation assistance to medical appointments (particularly when I return to NYC or SD).
• Without enough time to apply for Access-a-Ride, my father and I have easily spent hundred$ in the last 6 weeks alone in New York City. I no longer have an income, and my father has a limited pension as a recently retired janitor.

F) Co-pays for doctor visits and Rxs.

• I've been using a walker now for nearly six months; the road to freedom of movement and unassisted walking will require even more intensive physical therapy (PT).

and last but not least....

G) Fun things to do while sick & quarantined

• Thanks to months of illness, I've already spent countless hours going through shows and movies on Netflix & Amazon Prime. Boredom & pain make a horrible mix.
• Anything bingeable I likely haven't considered?
• Any *light* reading (pref. Spanish/English literature)?
• Any other thoughts for how to maintain my sanity between chemo and keeping it together around family?

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THANK YOU ALL FOR HELPING ME GET TO THIS POINT!

I will do my best to provide periodic updates, from the clinic and during post-recovery.

It might take a while to see the benefits, but I can finally say: MS, you’re going down!

#HelpKrysBeatMS #MultipleSclerosis #HSCT #HSCTMexico #XMasBreakfast Krys Beatsms HSCT - Clínica Ruiz