Zachary Taylor Nelson

For almost three years, I have been living with severe, relentless chronic pain caused by CRPS Type II, or Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. The pain has become so intense that I have been wheelchair bound for the past two years, and it has completely changed nearly every part of my life.

Over the course of this journey, I have undergone six or seven surgeries trying to find relief and regain some sense of normalcy. Unfortunately, I am still not at the end of this road and expect to need another three or four surgeries.

Living with this level of pain every single day is incredibly difficult to put into words. It affects everything, from the things I am able to do physically to my independence and simply being able to live my life the way I used to. For almost three years, pain has dictated what I can and cannot do.

After everything I have been through, there is another treatment option that could potentially help me: a Peripheral Nerve Stimulator (PNS). The process involves a trial first to determine whether the stimulation provides enough relief before moving forward with a permanent device.

Unfortunately, my insurance company has denied coverage for both the trial and permanent procedure, classifying the treatment as “experimental or diagnostic.” I have spent the last six months going through the appeals process trying to get the treatment covered, but I have reached a point where I cannot continue relying on insurance to give me the chance to try it.

That is why I am asking for help.

I never imagined I would be in a position where I needed to publicly ask others for financial support. But after years of surgeries, constant pain, being confined to a wheelchair, and months of fighting with insurance, I simply do not have another way to raise the money needed for this treatment.

I am not expecting a miracle. I am just asking for the opportunity to pursue another option that may give me some relief and help me regain pieces of the life that chronic pain has taken from me.

Any donation, no matter the amount, means more to me than I can express. If you are unable to donate, sharing this fundraiser would also be an enormous help.

Asking for help like this is not easy, but I have reached a point where I cannot do this alone. I am depending on the kindness and generosity of others to help me take this next step.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story, for sharing it, and for helping in any way you can.