Friday, September 19, 2014

Author Dutin LaValley's perosonal journey with CROHN'S DISEASE **PLEASE DONATE TO HIS MEDICAL EXPENSES, LINK IS AT THE END OF THE POST**

   Dustin LaValley is the author of several books within dark fiction, and writer of several films, short and feature. Though his work may fall into dark fiction, many are at home in action, erotica, thriller, and cross-genre. His collection of micro-short stories, Odds and Ends: An Assortment of Sorts is now free on Amazon, where it spent 13 months in the Top 100. His latest novel, Swallowed: A Hypersexual Romance, is available from Blushing Books and has been called "Down n’ dirty heavy metal erotica." by Decibel Magazine. More recently, Kirkus Reviews called his work a "Gritty gem." His latest film, Human Wreckage, a post-apocalyptic survival tale is currently making the rounds of the film festival circuit. Two others, a short, dark drama and a feature thriller are in pre-production at this moment. He and his work have been featured in/on PBS, Yahoo News, 3AM Magazine, Rue Morgue, Fangoria, NPR, Dallas Morning News, Corsicana Daily Sun, Decibel Magazine, Horror News and Dread Central among other outlets.
        Dustin is currently on bed-rest due to a severe and life-threatening intestinal disease, Crohn's Disease. His latest upper and lower GI series showed Crohn's has taken over his GI tract, from throat to J-Pouch. (He had his colon and rectum removed in 2005 due to Ulcerative Colitis and pre-cancer, his "fake" rectum is made of small intestine, called a J-Pouch, for its shape.) After losing part of his health care last year, his medical bills are piling up, and he's found himself in collections. 
       With ER visits twice monthly, doctor's visits (General Practitioner, Gastro-Intestinal), and several tests and medications, he's been unable to keep up with both monthly bills (phone, car, rent, etc.) and medical. This has also limited his treatment options. Having to forgo tests, medications, and treatments that aren't covered and not within financial reach. Such as a radiation-free MRI and a pill-camera ($1,200 plus the $100 salt tablet pre-test). With a bill of over $500 from his GP alone for the month of August, and several thousand for his GI, he and his family have reached out to friends, readers, and strangers for donations to see that he gets the proper treatment, that his disease does not spread further than it already has and that his health does not decline further.
       Being on a 24/7 hemorrhage watch, he must be monitored at all times, checked up on during sleep, and visit the ER if any stool is dark black, which indicates blood. (The lighter the stool, the less blood.) Per request of his GI doctor, he was recently denied a hospital stay to be fed though an IV, a two-week treatment to help the GI tract mend. As the treatments and tests further, so do the bill(s). He and his family are reaching out to anyone who can donate to his fundraiser, to help with paying off medical bills and other direct issues associated with his health. Please visit: http://www.gofundme.com/dustinsibd to read me and to donate. Any amount, small or large, is appreciated, as is sharing the link.