Hello Friends, Family & the WORLD,
First, thank you for taking the time to read my story. Your time is appreciated. I pray for many blessings to you and yours.
As many of my friends and all of my family know, I was born with a congenital defect causing me to have a disability from birth. This was corrected as an infant and corrected again 30 years ago (MANY SURGERIES).
Over the last year I have struggled with a degenerative issue in my right foot and ankle. This continuing issue caused me to be unable to work for nearly all of the last 6 months, I could barely walk to take care of myself the last few months, let alone much else. It’s really been rough for over a year & I was only work essentially part time for most of the last year…
This issue, in a perfect storm, compounded with finding out I have an aneurysm on my aorta (A true widow-maker on the ascending aorta right next to my heart, SCARY) … this will be OKAY & WILL be monitored by my cardiologist – BUT & the BIG BUT – is it cost us time. Time that we couldn’t afford. I was required to go through a battery of cardiac & pulmonary testing before I could have the much-needed reconstructive foot and ankle surgery.
I am grateful they found it though, many people die without ever knowing they have a time bomb ticking in their chest or abdomen. I always count my blessings, no matter how small.
ALL total this added over a 4 month wait, all the while the limited funds dwindled and credit card bills piled up. To levels we did not anticipate and gave us no time to prepare finacially.
We are just about there now, 1-week post-op and the tight pinch is a now a crush. I am looking at a 8 week NO WEIGHT AT ALL recovery on this foot & months of rehab once I can walk on it again. UGH!
We knew it would be rough, but NOT this rough. We were expecting a 3–4-hour surgery, not over 6 hours. We understood there would be a few fusions in the foot and ankle, not 8. We were expecting a month off the foot, we were expecting a couple months recovery, not 1/2 a year. We were woefully unprepared to say the least. I’ll share the post-op X-rays later, it’s crazy! Did I mention the HARDWARE required to put this poor old foot back together?
We don’t need much; we are a simple couple for the most part. We mostly just need help with some cash to fuel to run our Motorhome generator & some fuel to get to doctors’ appointments/Physical Therapy. I unfortunately, have to have the AC while I recover in this heat. We normally never use it – we are outdoors people…
We would appreciate anything anyone can freely afford to give. Please don’t send a $1 if you don’t have it to spare. We thank you graciously for anything you can offer.
