UPDATE BY (POSTED JULY 9th):

Hi everyone, Mike B. wants to thank all those who have reached out to him and offered their support and love. Here's a quick update: 

The surgery was done successfully on June 12, and he's still recovering. But, there was an unexpected setback after the surgery. The night of the surgery after he was home in bed trying to rest, Mike had a massive seizure and had to be rushed by ambulance to the hospital where he spent the next 3 days. His brain was tested (EEG, MRI) and, since his body flailed around so much right after the seizure, they also did every imaginable chest and abdomen X-ray and MRI. Everything checked out OK, though of course this setback will make the recovery a little longer and more painful. He's accepted it will be a slow painful process of recovery but is slowly gaining back his strength, and walking about 90-100 minutes per day as directed by his surgeon. This is nothing short of amazing, since he wasn't able to walk, or go up & down a flight of stairs, even a month ago.

UPDATE BY MIKE B. - in his own words - posted July 10:Thank you again to those of you who have reached out. You don't know what it means to me - it means everything. Before the surgery, every day was a struggle and I felt like I couldn't have gone on living much longer with the pain and diminishment of my life, but now I can work on getting better and getting my life back.  

Any help anyone can continue to give would mean so much. Thanks also to all of you who have donated privately. It means so much to me.

Original posting (June 7, 2017):

Hello, as many of you may know, Mike B. has been suffering for the last 6 years after a hernia surgery with mesh on his right inguinal area. This past Thanksgiving weekend 2016, he felt a "pop" down in his abdomen (the mesh finally giving way), and since then has been unable to eat nearly anything or process any food. His current weight is under 120 and he's trying to keep it up by drinking a few protein/vitamin drinks a day. After 7 months of visits to 4 surgeons, 2 GI doctors, a colorectal surgeon, and a pain management doctor who performed unsuccessful nerve block injections, he has finally found a 5th surgeon who has agreed to perform a 2-hour open mesh and suture removal surgery along with another 45-minute procedure, a recurrent right inguinal hernia repair, in mid-June. The doctor explained that this may actually need to be a two-phase surgery process. If Michael needs a second surgery it will be a laparoscopic exploration to discover further issues. We think other surgeons didn't want to take on his case due to lack of skill or experience in this area, and also perhaps legal reasons having to do with mesh surgeries.

This won't be covered by any insurance. As many of you know, Michael has undergone 3 surgeries in the past 9 years and has been unable to work. He was turned down for disability by the state. The doctor's fee for the upcoming surgery is $12,500 and the surgery center fee is $7,250, for a total of $19,750. Some of you may also know our financial straits, with the looming foreclosure of our house (but that is a separate issue). Any help you can give would be so appreciated by Michael.  

Here's a picture of the doctor's fee:

Please share this if you are able, so others can be updated on Michael's condition. Michael wants to stress that no one should feel any financial obligation to help, just that if you can it would be greatly greatly appreciated. He also appreciates all the love and good wishes he has been receiving.

***PLEASE READ***The person donating can choose to donate a small amount to FreeFunder, or they can click on that recommended donation link and change the donation to zero.