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JULZ NEEDS A LIFT PAYPAL DONATION
My name is Julie
Finley, and I recently ruptured my L4/L5 Lumbar disc so
bad, that I need to have surgery. It is pressing on my spinal cord,
causing extreme pain radiating down to my ankle, and
numbness/tingling/weakness in my left foot, causing a nerve disability called
"Foot Drop".
I am having an extremely hard time doing basic stuff like
walking (and even sitting... sitting causes unbearable pain). The type
of work I do is Graphic Design, but I can no longer do it, because I
cannot sit in a desk chair for more than 5 minutes at a time.
I also have bone degeneration around the disc. This has been an
issue amongst my doctors (and I need further testing) to determine
whether or not I will not just need a
discectomy, but
possibly a spinal fusion.
Here are some lovely images from my recent MRI and CT.
Plus, on top of the ruptured disc, I've had an on-going issue with my
knees called Patellofemoral
Pain Syndrome. This has been a problem for a good 5+
years, and is only getting worse. I don't have any photos of X-Rays to
post, but the treatment I've had for that, has failed (which was
cortisone shots in both knees, several months of physical therapy, and
wearing uncomfortable knee braces). Unfortunately, it has changed the
way I walk, which in turn, has made me put more stress on my lower
back -- probably another factor as to why the disc ruptured in the
first place!
Luckily I do have health insurance (but I still have to jump
through hoops to even get tests done, because everything needs a pre-authorization).
With that said... insurance doesn't cover everything. I have
spoken with my insurance provider in regards to what they will cover
for home medical equipment. They will cover the very basics, but
nothing that could possibly make my home handicap accessible, and it
will only apply to post-op rehabilitation. In other words... I could
really use a
walker NOW
(so I am stumbling around with my cane for the time being) -- I will
just probably bite the bullet and shell out cash for that, instead of
waiting around for the insurance to make up their minds on coverage,
because the cane is just causing me to shift all of my weight to the
right leg, causing more pain in the knee.
So here is my current dilemma. My home is very inaccessible in
regards to the
ADA standards.
I am having a very hard time just leaving my house, based on the architecture.
This is why I could really use a
STAIR LIFT!
I called around to a few local providers in my area that
supply/install stair lifts, and the cheapest price I was quoted, was $2650!
I can't afford that! I am probably going to go broke with the
medical bills (because like I said, insurance will only cover so
much) -- but how in the hell am I going to get surgery and post-op
care, if I can barely walk? My home requires very steep stairs to
exit (no matter what!)
To give you an idea of what I am up against... here are some
photos of the stairs I need to use to exit my home.
Front Exit:
(This last photo is taken at the same level as the driveway. The
bush that is in the middle of the photo, conceals the concrete
stairs up to the front door. It would be ALOT easier to get in/out
of my house through the garage door, but I have to deal with the
steep basement stairwell to do that, as you will see in the next set
of photos).
Basement Access (it connects to the garage, which is a direct
exit to the outdoors):
I can take a direct left and be in the garage, which doesn't require climbing the hill out in front of my house).
Back Exit:
So... I am pretty much trapped in my home. I have a partner,
but... if he were to carry me up/down any of these stairs, he'd end
up with a herniation, too!
So this is exactly why I need your help! I need to buy a stair
lift that can be installed into the basement stairwell. Since that
is indoors, it would never be exposed to the weather (plus, it would
have to be near an outlet to plug in, to charge the battery on
it).
I am really sick of the fact that I am in chronic pain...
but, I don't like being a 'shut-in' either! Both things are
affecting me mentally, and in order to get well (pre and post-op) I
can't take any chances by falling down stairs!!
I've seen people donate money to women that want breast
implants (that don't need them) ... I just want to be able to
enter/exit my house without killing myself! So, please help!!!
I hate begging, but folks... its really hard for me to get
in/out of my house! I need your help, because I can't afford a
stair lift... and I most certainly don't need to injure myself even
more than before!
Even if you have no money to spare, could you at least post
the link on whatever social media you use (wherein this could be
appropriate?) If you have a blog, tumblr, twitter, facebook, reddit,
or whatever else you kill time with... please repost the link! I am
not joking... I need some help!
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