I had to ask. "I would love to make an appointment to use the BrainPort."
"Oh. I'm sorry. We are not using it but we have these nifty little door prizes called physical therapy exercises that we believe will help."
"But I'm already doing physical therapy exercises that help."
"Ours are magic physical therapy exercises that work miracles."
Okay. To be honest, the above isn't verbatim. I did have to explain that I have worked with doctors at two hospitals, including Emory's Dizziness & Balance Disorder Clinic. Of course, these doctors in other parts of the United States were more interested in seeing me as a patient than they were in referring me to any research on the BrainPort here in the US and I guess their faith in my doctors is not as strong as my own.
Not that mine is oh-so-strong as I sit here pondering why none of the doctors who have actually worked directly with me have bothered to respond to my emails. (Yes, that is intentionally plural because I have emailed each doctor more than once.)
But back to my positive response. Here is what I know:
- A company in Canada is going to be buying the item from Wicab.
- The company's name is Lifemark.
- They have several clinics in Canada where one can go for training.
- There are 2-3 days of training, twice a day, each costing $160 Canadian.
- After the training you sign a release form and take the device home to use for a month.
- You use the form for 20 minutes a day, twice a day.
- After 60 days, if you feel it is beneficial, you buy the device outright: $10,000 US
- Or, you can rent it at $600 per month if you are unsure.
- If Lifemark does take over the product then the cost will be about half the quoted price.
This puts me in a position of finally being able to do something more, perhaps something that will take me to the next level of being cured. And while I am perfectly willing to wait to see how the wheels of corporate buying and selling move in Canada by comparison to the US, I should also try to think of ways I can raise $10,000. I can create my own marathons, do fund raising drives, sell cupcakes from my front yard, accept donations, dare to dream.
By the time I find a way to raise the money and actually begin raising money perhaps the cost will have come down as a result of the buy out having happened. If so, that would be great. In the meantime, I need to brainstorm and am accepting reasonable suggestions.
Any thoughts?
Any ideas?
The world is not vertigo friendly and I can be a part of the world again. I just need to raise some money somehow.
We will help in any way.
ReplyDeleteId do anything to make it stop!!
ReplyDeleteMaybe start a blog to raise the funds, share your story, ask for a tiny donation from visitors, papal it, Do givaways, make it a fun space people want to come to and get value laughter inspiration from. Submit articles to other blogs.
??? Would take a lot of blogging work, but why not.
Catherine, Well, I already edit a newsletter for which I am not getting paid. And this blog has been around a long time. So far nobody's offered to help me financially. But it's an interesting idea. Perhaps I could come up with something someone would be willing to pay to read.
ReplyDeleteOh and my mum suggested a radio station. She says the one she listens to often does a "help a person in need" thing where they give money, support, etc etc??
ReplyDeleteI love that there are radio stations and/or organizations that do things like that but when there are children with cancer whose families need the help far more than I do or single mothers who were recently laid off and are desperate to put food on the table, I think it's okay for me to see if I can't find a way to earn the money for myself.
ReplyDelete