Disposed: A Story of Chronic Illness During the COVID-19 Pandemic

My Name is Dan Pezzetta, and I was left to die due to the systems and beliefs during the COVID-19 Pandemic. This story will detail my experience as a chronically ill patient having to deal with ableism, dangerous rhetoric, important social movements, greedy landlords, and the threat of a deadly pandemic all from the abandoned campus where I held out. This pandemic has changed a lot of us, and I hope this story shows you that you were not alone in your struggles and transformation. We are not disposable, despite what society may view us as.

My Name is Dan Pezzetta, and I was left to die due to the systems and beliefs during the COVID-19 Pandemic. This story will detail my experience as a chronically ill patient having to deal with ableism, dangerous Rhetoric, important social movements, greedy landlords, and the threat of a deadly pandemic all from the abandoned campus where I held out. This pandemic has changed a lot of us, and I hope this story shows you that you were not alone in your struggles and transformation. We are not disposable, despite what society may view us as.

My name is Dan Pezzetta, and I am a chronically ill patient and advocate that has had the pleasure of speaking at M.I.T., Harvard Medical School, and Rare Disease Week on Capitol Hill. During this pandemic I have has seen society completely abandon the sick. For too long I've heard, "only the sick and elderly die" "why don't you stay indoors while we return to our lives", and much worse. I want to help show the faces and voices of patients, and show that were and still are seen as disposable to society. We are not, and we will not go out quietly. I hope this book shows other rare and chronic disease patients that they were not alone, as well as showing able-bodied people a perspective they may have never considered.