Staying Resilient While Helping Others
For nearly two decades, Thomas lived with pain. In 2000, Thomas was diagnosed with complex regional pain syndrome. The symptoms, he said, left him unable to work and bedridden.
“I couldn’t lift my arm for three days, couldn’t walk much, and had migraines,” Thomas said. “And doctors couldn’t figure out why.”
Thomas spent years looking for relief from his pain. That’s until his doctors took a new look at his old MRIs from the 1990s. The scans showed lesions, a sign of multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic disease of the central nervous system. Thomas’ thoughts quickly turned to how expensive his new treatment would be.
“Being on Social Security disability, I couldn’t afford it,” he said.
Dr. Bowen at the Swedish Neuroscience Institute’s Multiple Sclerosis Center referred him to The Assistance Fund (TAF). TAF’s Multiple Sclerosis Copay Assistance Program provides financial assistance for out-of-pocket costs for all prescribed FDA-approved treatment for the disease, such as copays, deductibles, and coinsurance.
“TAF made it possible for me to get these medications,” Thomas said. “My relapses have gone down dramatically, and my quality of life is improving.”
Thomas has many close friends and a dedicated partner, Aarin. The two have been together for more than a decade, with Thomas recently relocating from California to Seattle to be closer to her.
“We get along so well,” he said. “And we haven’t had a single argument since the day we met.”
While Thomas stays at home, Aarin works as a local pharmacist. During the worst days of the pandemic, she sometimes worked 90-hour weeks.
“Without her, I wouldn’t be able to do a lot of things,” Thomas said. “She’s been with me through everything.”
Living without the frequent pain attacks, he says, he can do more including helping Aarin around the house.
“It’s crazy how fortunate I am,” he said. “I can’t even wrap my head around it.”
One way Thomas stayed busy during the pandemic was writing. During the first months of COVID, Thomas used his IT knowledge to write a Zoom security guide. The guide went viral, helping nearly 100,000 people.
“As I stabilized and my quality of life improved, I was arguably able to do some pretty great things,” Thomas said. “That’s thanks to TAF — they are at the very core of this.”
Thomas’ positivity stems from the moment, he said, he realized he can have a good day even when his body is in pain.
“My body is going to do what it has to do, and I’m going to take care of it the best I can,” he said. “I’m not going to let it wreck my day or let my diseases run my life.”
