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Life-saving surgery needed M. Apodaca

Hi,
I want to take a moment to introduce myself. My name is Marie. I'm a 31 year old woman who lives in Colorful Colorado. I'm in desperate need of life-saving surgery. I have LE Lymphedema on both of my legs. If you don't know what Lymphedema is; it is a condition in which the lymphatic system is broken and can no longer carry the lymph-fluid (waste from blood) out of the body so this waste fluid builds up under the skin usually in extremities and causes many issues. These issues include, frequent skin infections, open ulcers/wounds, hard, fibrous, discolored, and enlarged skin conditions on the affected limb(s). It can eventually lead to limb loss or death due to infections. Very reluctantly, I can include a picture of my worst leg by request. CAUTION: It is not for the faint of heart.

In case you are wondering, I can walk; but as you can imagine, it is very challenging.

I also suffer from morbid obesity. I've battled with my weight for most of my life. To give you an idea of this; I weighed 208 pounds when I was 12 years old.

I have been working with my family doctor for over 7 years. I've been through numerous weight loss programs with not much success. I've been working with a physical therapist and certified lymphedema therapist for the past 9 months. We've come to a conclusion that losing a significant amount of weight will help many areas of my life but especially with the lymphedema for healthier lymph flow. Now, this won't cure lymphedema; but will make it a lot more manageable. For this, I will need bariatric surgery.



I hold down a full-time job, and have insurance; but my insurance won't pay for the surgery I need. This surgery won't only improve my quality of life but will literally save my life. The surgery is very expensive and I just cannot afford to pay for it. I would appreciate any donations you can afford to give.

I leave you with one of my favorite quotes by Ralph Waldo Emerson:
"To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived-that is to have succeeded."

Thank you for reading!

Sincerely,
Marie Apodaca
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Donations 

  • Anonymous
    • $10 
    • 10 yrs
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Organizer

Marie Apodaca
Organizer
Colorado Springs, CO

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