My Sisters Medical Treatment
Donation protected
Hello,
My name is Trisha Conley-Walker. I have started this Go-Fund Me Campaign on behalf of my sister, Elizabeth Conley.
This has been an extremely difficult time for both us, but more so, for my sister. We just found out she needs a major surgery on her left hip.
When Liz was 26 years old she was diagnosed with a disease called Crohn's. Crohn's Disease is an autoimmune condition that affects the digestive tract. It can create what is called a ‘flare-up’ within the tummy and causes all kinds of havoc on the body. Crohn's cannot be cured. Here is some information about the disease.
Crohn's: A chronic inflammatory bowel disease that affects the lining of the digestive tract. It is a rare disease.
- Fewer than 200,000 US cases per year.
- Can't be cured, but treatment may help.
- Chronic: can last for years or be life-long.
- Crohn's disease can sometimes causes life-threatening complications.
- Crohn's disease can cause abdominal pain, diarrhea, weight loss, anemia, and fatigue. Some people may be symptom free most of their lives, while others can have severe chronic symptoms that never go away.
During most of 2013 into 2015 my sister spent several months in and out of the hospital and doctor's offices to get an extremely severe ‘flare-up’ under control, in addition she experienced a mini stroke. One visit to the hospital in 2013, Liz was admitted for 3 weeks straight. Unfortunately, the most common drug administered to a patient with Crohn's such as the life threatening severity Liz was experiencing, are high doses of intravenous steroids.
Unfortunately steroids have many long-term side effects, one rare one being slow decomposition of bones. Sadly this is what has occurred in my sister’s hips. Last July 2015 Liz's right hip started hurting and it took months before it was diagnosed properly but finally after an MRI the results showed advanced AVN (Avascular Necrosis).
On Jan 5th 2016 after waiting several weeks to get an appointment with a top LA orthopedic surgeon she was rushed in to surgery two weeks later, otherwise the doctor said Liz would have ended up in a wheelchair if left untreated any longer, a replacement just would not have even been possible. Liz recovered alone and was apartment ridden for several months and unable to work.
She needs her left hip replaced immediately. The longer the bones deteriorate the harder it is to have a successful transplant. Not to mention, she was just recently starting to be able to stand and walk freely and consider commencing full-time work. Liz recently tried working and did two weeks freelance assisting a singer, however halfway through, her left hip started to hurt so badly that she relied on pain medication to keep going and didn't mention it.
Liz is already backlogged from not having worked properly for 18 months now, apart from a few short term projects last year, the sale of a few paintings and this recent two week job. It doesn't take a mathematician to imagine how seriously dire her real actual situation is despite what she tells her friends and associates.
Liz has been a personal assistant forever, working for such people as Linkin Park, Alanis Morissette, Victoria Beckham, Singer - Kate Ceberano, Singer - Vitimin C, Olympian - Cathy Freeman and actor Josh Radnor. Being a personal assistant requires a lot of physically demanding work around the clock and a great deal of traveling. Unfortunately her medical complications, along with the hip replacement surgery have made it impossible for her to continue working in this capacity, at this stage.
I would like to say here, that my sister has an incredible work ethic. I know no other person who, despite being severally ill with a flare up and suffering extreme pain, never drops the ball at work and never ever tells her bosses how much she is actually suffering. One time she was in hospital and kept working from the bed and her boss at the time had no idea because he was in NYC for that week. She didn't miss a beat. She always powers through and moves mountains to get the job done. I think she is extremely admirable in that regard.
Believe me, Crohn's is a disease I would not wish on my worst enemy. It is extremely vicious and unrelenting, but my sister always plows through and keeps working at her own physical demise to get the job at hand done. At one point late last year when her hip was at the end, she continued to work on a freelance project as she didn't want to let the people down. The surgeon has told Liz that this is incredibly serious because she is damaging her hip and making it worse and there are simply no more options for her to "soldier on" as she likes to say,
In addition to Liz’s personal assistant jobs, she is an incredible artist. Liz paints from her heart and soul and in some ways art has been her saving grace throughout many turbulent times in her life. I think art has saved her from despair, over and over again. Liz sells her art and pieces are hanging all over the world but it isn't a solid income, plus it’s a physical venture that she has not able to do lately, despite Facebook and Instagram posts, which can seem as though her art is more successful, nonetheless it's a bit of a facade because Liz doesn't want people to think her life isn't going well.
I am reaching out to the Go-Fund Me Platform as a last resort. Personally I cannot see any other way to help my sister. I have helped her financially as much as I possibly can and now sadly I am unable to give any more financial help for the next hip replacement surgery. I have personally tapped out my credit cards and re-finance options. I know a few of her very close friends have reached out and assisted in the past few months and that has helped keep the landlord from evicting her.
Liz has never been married and it is her 50th Birthday on July 10th. It would truly be the most incredible birthday gift in the entire world to help her get this second surgery done without the stress of medical bills and life costs.
I will be eternally grateful for any amount you can donate to help my sister. It would show her that she is loved and make her feel like she can go on living. This generous donation will make a huge difference in Liz’s life. I am sure she would even paint each and every one a painting in exchange. Asking for money is extremely humiliating.
How the money will be used:
$5,000 -- Deductible needed for the surgery.
$2,500 -- After care
$6,500 -- 4 months rent
$2,500 -- Medications and food for 4 months
$1,500 -- Insurance payments
$2,000 -- In case of emergency
Liz sent me the note below of something she was going to post on Facebook, but she was too ashamed to actually post it. So I had to step in and start this GoFundMe site to help her. Please read it.
On Tue, Jul 5, 2016 at 2:02 PM, Elizabeth Conley
FB asks; "what's on your mind" but I never really express the truth.
I post my art and things "appear" fine and the perception is I must be doing really well but in reality life is not going well at all for me.
I had a tough surgery in Jan. A total right hip replacement; my surgeon said, its one of the worst cases he has seen and I have had a very long road of recovery but as of now that hip is great; however I found out I now need the left hip replaced ASAP.
I haven't been able to work for months whilst recovering from the right hip. It hasn't been possible to work the way I usually do and I just can't survive. My sister always helps and bails me out when she can. I have a few amazing friends who do assist when I ask. You know who you are.
Mostly though I soldier on and keep hoping things will turn around. But after living on credit cards and bank loans and personal friends I now have hit an iron wall of medical bills, car and rent etc., that I am unable to pay. I have health insurance of course but not a great coverage plan and the out of pocket is extensive.
Regards to any income except for selling a few pieces of art and doing a couple of short freelance jobs in the past year and a half I am essentially in a deep hole and cant sustain my day-to-day life in addition to facing this next operation as naturally I now wont be able to work again for about 4 months. I know it sounds doom and gloom. I am a survivor though and a hard worker and once this second surgery is done and I have recovered I am more than confident I will be able to become stable and gain permanent employment moving forward and get anew chapter going. Its just coping through this difficult time is proving to be too much for me physically and emotionally to handle alone.
It is not easy for me to reach out for help like this for reasons of pride and shame and I tend to try and keep everything private and not share a lot about myself on social media. I just don't have any choice at this point though but to consider going public and creating a go fund me campaign; the alternative is I declare bankruptcy and get evicted. If I can raise enough funds to cover my backlog of medical bills; which is the first vital step before they will approve this next hip surgery.
My name is Trisha Conley-Walker. I have started this Go-Fund Me Campaign on behalf of my sister, Elizabeth Conley.
This has been an extremely difficult time for both us, but more so, for my sister. We just found out she needs a major surgery on her left hip.
When Liz was 26 years old she was diagnosed with a disease called Crohn's. Crohn's Disease is an autoimmune condition that affects the digestive tract. It can create what is called a ‘flare-up’ within the tummy and causes all kinds of havoc on the body. Crohn's cannot be cured. Here is some information about the disease.
Crohn's: A chronic inflammatory bowel disease that affects the lining of the digestive tract. It is a rare disease.
- Fewer than 200,000 US cases per year.
- Can't be cured, but treatment may help.
- Chronic: can last for years or be life-long.
- Crohn's disease can sometimes causes life-threatening complications.
- Crohn's disease can cause abdominal pain, diarrhea, weight loss, anemia, and fatigue. Some people may be symptom free most of their lives, while others can have severe chronic symptoms that never go away.
During most of 2013 into 2015 my sister spent several months in and out of the hospital and doctor's offices to get an extremely severe ‘flare-up’ under control, in addition she experienced a mini stroke. One visit to the hospital in 2013, Liz was admitted for 3 weeks straight. Unfortunately, the most common drug administered to a patient with Crohn's such as the life threatening severity Liz was experiencing, are high doses of intravenous steroids.
Unfortunately steroids have many long-term side effects, one rare one being slow decomposition of bones. Sadly this is what has occurred in my sister’s hips. Last July 2015 Liz's right hip started hurting and it took months before it was diagnosed properly but finally after an MRI the results showed advanced AVN (Avascular Necrosis).
On Jan 5th 2016 after waiting several weeks to get an appointment with a top LA orthopedic surgeon she was rushed in to surgery two weeks later, otherwise the doctor said Liz would have ended up in a wheelchair if left untreated any longer, a replacement just would not have even been possible. Liz recovered alone and was apartment ridden for several months and unable to work.
She needs her left hip replaced immediately. The longer the bones deteriorate the harder it is to have a successful transplant. Not to mention, she was just recently starting to be able to stand and walk freely and consider commencing full-time work. Liz recently tried working and did two weeks freelance assisting a singer, however halfway through, her left hip started to hurt so badly that she relied on pain medication to keep going and didn't mention it.
Liz is already backlogged from not having worked properly for 18 months now, apart from a few short term projects last year, the sale of a few paintings and this recent two week job. It doesn't take a mathematician to imagine how seriously dire her real actual situation is despite what she tells her friends and associates.
Liz has been a personal assistant forever, working for such people as Linkin Park, Alanis Morissette, Victoria Beckham, Singer - Kate Ceberano, Singer - Vitimin C, Olympian - Cathy Freeman and actor Josh Radnor. Being a personal assistant requires a lot of physically demanding work around the clock and a great deal of traveling. Unfortunately her medical complications, along with the hip replacement surgery have made it impossible for her to continue working in this capacity, at this stage.
I would like to say here, that my sister has an incredible work ethic. I know no other person who, despite being severally ill with a flare up and suffering extreme pain, never drops the ball at work and never ever tells her bosses how much she is actually suffering. One time she was in hospital and kept working from the bed and her boss at the time had no idea because he was in NYC for that week. She didn't miss a beat. She always powers through and moves mountains to get the job done. I think she is extremely admirable in that regard.
Believe me, Crohn's is a disease I would not wish on my worst enemy. It is extremely vicious and unrelenting, but my sister always plows through and keeps working at her own physical demise to get the job at hand done. At one point late last year when her hip was at the end, she continued to work on a freelance project as she didn't want to let the people down. The surgeon has told Liz that this is incredibly serious because she is damaging her hip and making it worse and there are simply no more options for her to "soldier on" as she likes to say,
In addition to Liz’s personal assistant jobs, she is an incredible artist. Liz paints from her heart and soul and in some ways art has been her saving grace throughout many turbulent times in her life. I think art has saved her from despair, over and over again. Liz sells her art and pieces are hanging all over the world but it isn't a solid income, plus it’s a physical venture that she has not able to do lately, despite Facebook and Instagram posts, which can seem as though her art is more successful, nonetheless it's a bit of a facade because Liz doesn't want people to think her life isn't going well.
I am reaching out to the Go-Fund Me Platform as a last resort. Personally I cannot see any other way to help my sister. I have helped her financially as much as I possibly can and now sadly I am unable to give any more financial help for the next hip replacement surgery. I have personally tapped out my credit cards and re-finance options. I know a few of her very close friends have reached out and assisted in the past few months and that has helped keep the landlord from evicting her.
Liz has never been married and it is her 50th Birthday on July 10th. It would truly be the most incredible birthday gift in the entire world to help her get this second surgery done without the stress of medical bills and life costs.
I will be eternally grateful for any amount you can donate to help my sister. It would show her that she is loved and make her feel like she can go on living. This generous donation will make a huge difference in Liz’s life. I am sure she would even paint each and every one a painting in exchange. Asking for money is extremely humiliating.
How the money will be used:
$5,000 -- Deductible needed for the surgery.
$2,500 -- After care
$6,500 -- 4 months rent
$2,500 -- Medications and food for 4 months
$1,500 -- Insurance payments
$2,000 -- In case of emergency
Liz sent me the note below of something she was going to post on Facebook, but she was too ashamed to actually post it. So I had to step in and start this GoFundMe site to help her. Please read it.
On Tue, Jul 5, 2016 at 2:02 PM, Elizabeth Conley
FB asks; "what's on your mind" but I never really express the truth.
I post my art and things "appear" fine and the perception is I must be doing really well but in reality life is not going well at all for me.
I had a tough surgery in Jan. A total right hip replacement; my surgeon said, its one of the worst cases he has seen and I have had a very long road of recovery but as of now that hip is great; however I found out I now need the left hip replaced ASAP.
I haven't been able to work for months whilst recovering from the right hip. It hasn't been possible to work the way I usually do and I just can't survive. My sister always helps and bails me out when she can. I have a few amazing friends who do assist when I ask. You know who you are.
Mostly though I soldier on and keep hoping things will turn around. But after living on credit cards and bank loans and personal friends I now have hit an iron wall of medical bills, car and rent etc., that I am unable to pay. I have health insurance of course but not a great coverage plan and the out of pocket is extensive.
Regards to any income except for selling a few pieces of art and doing a couple of short freelance jobs in the past year and a half I am essentially in a deep hole and cant sustain my day-to-day life in addition to facing this next operation as naturally I now wont be able to work again for about 4 months. I know it sounds doom and gloom. I am a survivor though and a hard worker and once this second surgery is done and I have recovered I am more than confident I will be able to become stable and gain permanent employment moving forward and get anew chapter going. Its just coping through this difficult time is proving to be too much for me physically and emotionally to handle alone.
It is not easy for me to reach out for help like this for reasons of pride and shame and I tend to try and keep everything private and not share a lot about myself on social media. I just don't have any choice at this point though but to consider going public and creating a go fund me campaign; the alternative is I declare bankruptcy and get evicted. If I can raise enough funds to cover my backlog of medical bills; which is the first vital step before they will approve this next hip surgery.
Organizer and beneficiary
Trisha Conley
Organizer
Los Angeles, CA
Elizabeth Conley
Beneficiary
