Many of you have been very generous and supportive, and I want to give you my sincerest gratitude! Even with all that happened, you've looked past my flaws and offered your help anyways. I can't begin to explain how humbled and grateful I am for you all.
I want you all to know that I didn't step away from Steem these last couple days out of fear or cowardice. I needed to take a break and get some calm back in my life. I've spoken to some good friends and gotten some good advice. Hopefully, the recent drama has passed and my little corner of Steemit will be nothing but positivity.
I've received numerous messages, comments, and notes telling me that people still want to make donations, but weren't sure if I still needed the help. To be honest, my wife and I weren't sure if we wanted to make another post about this, but the insistence of this wonderful community has convinced me to do so.
I want to thank all of you who donated for my procedure, even after I sent refunds. I am truly blessed. Thank you. And, thank you to all the original donators, your generosity is so very appreciated.
I do still need the eye procedure and the surgery. My wife and I are doing everything we can to save our pennies. It's going to be a long and bumpy road, but I believe I will eventually get my sight back. So, thank you to all who already donated and to all who plan to donate. Your support means the world to me.
Here's is the original information written by my wife:
Help prevent Bobby Paradise from going blind...
A few months ago, Bobby went in for an eye exam after months of his vision slowly getting blurrier and blurrier. His glasses had broken, so he did his best to fix them. We thought his wonky glasses were the reason for his blurry vision.
Right away, the eye doctor started making noises that didn't sound good as he looked at Bobby's eyes with his gadgets. You can imagine how shocked we were when he blurted out:
"You're going to need a transplant."
My first thought was: 'Oh my gawd, he needs a whole new eye?!'
Thankfully, the doctor explained further... Bobby has Keratoconus in both of his eyes. (Keratoconus explained below...)
Bobby's corneas are thinning and getting brittle. His vision is very blurry and extra sensitive to light. He can no longer drive safely or watch TV and has to have his computer screen less than a foot from his face.
His right eye needs a new cornea, and his left eye needs a procedure called "crosslinking." The eye surgeon is very adamant that Bobby gets the "crosslinking" procedure done very soon to slow down the deterioration of his left eye, eventually, he will need a transplant in that eye too.
The "crosslinking" must be done before Bobby can get the cornea transplant. Until he has this procedure, neither glasses nor contacts will help him in any way. With this procedure, he will be able to wear a special contact in his left eye that will allow him to see well enough to drive again.
Unfortunately, the eye surgeon won't perform the cornea transplant until the "crosslinking" is done and healed. So, until we can raise enough money for this procedure, Bobby will continue to slowly lose his vision.
Also, unfortunately, Bobby's Medicaid insurance doesn't pay for the "crosslinking" procedure, so we are hoping our friends and family will help us. Without your assistance, Bobby may never be able to get either eye fixed.
Every little bit helps, and we deeply appreciate however much you can donate!
Keratoconus
What is Keratoconus?
Your cornea is the clear, dome-shaped window at the front of your eye. It focuses light into your eye. Keratoconus is when the cornea thins out and bulges like a cone. Changing the shape of the cornea brings light rays out of focus. As a result, your vision is blurry and distorted, making daily tasks like reading or driving difficult.