I am reaching out in a moment of desperation. I am gravely ill and facing an unimaginable reality: I am being denied life-saving treatment by hospitals in Nashville because of my financial situation. Despite being on financial assistance, these hospitals are ignoring their legal obligations and refusing to provide the care I urgently need to survive.

I have been diagnosed with Lumbar Spinal Stenosis, which has deteriorated into a progressive neurological emergency. I now suffer from speech impairment, loss of mobility and balance, bladder and bowel incontinence, numbness and weakness in my legs, hands, and feet, severe weight loss in just a few weeks, dangerously high blood pressure, and constant pain. These are all signs of Cervical Myelopathy and Caudna Equina Syndrome and brain and/or brain stem breakdown that can be cancerous or tumorous  or from extreme nerve compression. All end the same way-death or permanent paralysis.

Recently, I was seen at Vanderbilt University Medical Center by two spine surgeons and a neurosurgeon. All three agreed that I should be admitted for observation and further testing. The ER doctor concurred. But when I was transferred to the hospital floor, the hospitalist in charge told me, “You do not belong here,” and refused to admit me—until I threatened legal action and public exposure. He relented, but the very next day, I was discharged without seeing the specialists again and without receiving any treatment, except for a single pill for overactive bladder.

At Ascension St. Thomas, my care lasted less than 30 minutes. The attending physician refused to identify himself or place his name on record. He incorrectly stated that my condition was “chronic, not acute,” and therefore did not require emergency care. When I refused to leave without proper evaluation, I was forcefully removed from the hospital. 

At Tristar Centennial I was given an MRI and told although my Stenosis was severe, and the additional symptoms were very concerning, it did not warrant emergency treatment or surgery. Same at General Hospital who was the same hospital that charged my insurance provider Blue Cross Blue Shield, whom I have parted ways with due to them not paying my bills in compliance with the terms and contract we both agreed to,  $5,000 for a COVID test.

I have medical records and witness statements to support every claim I’ve made. These are not isolated incidents—they are part of a pattern of systemic neglect and discrimination against poor and disabled patients.

I am not alone. I’ve heard countless stories from medical staff, first responders, and former patients who have witnessed or experienced similar abuse and denial of care. One story that broke my heart was about a 9-year-old girl whose face was mauled by a dog. Three paramedics told me that a plastic surgeon at Vanderbilt refused to treat her unless her parents paid $10,000 in cash up front. That is not medicine. That is extortion.

The Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), codified at 42 U.S.C. § 1395dd, was enacted to prevent these exact situations. This federal law mandates that hospitals must provide a medical screening examination and stabilizing treatment to anyone who presents at an emergency department—regardless of their ability to pay. Yet in my case, and in that child’s case, this law is being ignored.

This is not just my issue—it’s a warning sign of a larger systemic failure affecting vulnerable patients across our community. According to a Yale-led study, approximately 5.8% of emergency visits result in patients leaving without being seen, often due to long waits or financial concerns. That represents thousands of individuals denied their federally protected right to emergency medical care. Melnick, T., & Janke, A. (2022, September 30). Emergency department crowding hits crisis levels, risking patient safety. Yale News. Retrieved from https://news.yale.edu/2022/09/30/emergency-department-crowding-hits-crisis-levels-risking-patient-safety

I am asking you to stand with me in demanding that Nashville hospitals comply with EMTALA and recognize that every human being—poor or rich, young or old—has a civil and human right to life-saving treatment. We need clear protocols, staff training, and accountability to ensure that every patient receives the screening and treatment they are legally entitled to.

Please sign this petition and help us make a direct appeal to hospital administrators, elected officials, and oversight agencies. Let’s hold them accountable. Let’s make sure no one else is forced to endure what I, and thousands others including that poor little girl, am living through right now.