Sonia Turley-Landers care after medical emergency

I am organizing this fundraiser on behalf and at the request of Sonia Turley-Landers.

I initially met Ms. Sonia in the winter of 2019. She is a Mvskoke and Onondaga elder, and one of the head women of the Kvnfvske Ceremonial grounds in Fountain, Florida. Since I've known her, she has become an older sister to me. She teaches the women of our ceremonial grounds with fierce and undying love, in everything that she does. She is naturally a caretaker for her blood family, her ceremonial family, and so many around her. But now she needs us to help to take care of her!

Beginning in July 2022, Sonia has faced a long series of medical events:

Around July 10, her left foot began to swell. Seen by a physician, there was concern that Sonia had developed a blood clot in her foot. Her foot and toes began to swell to the point that the skin on her foot burst.

On July 20, a debridement surgery was performed to promote wound healing. The physician performing the debridement believed that Sonia would need to have two toes amputated, in order to save her foot. The surgery cannot be scheduled until after insurance approved the surgery.

After a few trips to the emergency room over concerns for infection and gangrene, Sonia was finally able to have two toes on her left foot amputated, in order to save her foot, on September 20, 2022. During surgery, it is discovered that the battery in her pacemaker is failing and needs to be replaced.

On September 23, Sonia has an additional surgery to have her pacemaker replaced.

On September 27, Sonia is finally discharged home from the hospital after 2 weeks.

Leading up to November, the healing for Sonia is up and down. Things seem to be going well until November when both her left foot seems swollen and not healing well, and her right knee which had a knee replacement 7 years ago, begin to swell. Sonia cannot get in to be seen by her physician, and after the skin on her right knee burst from swelling. She went to the emergency room, on November 17. Gangrene had set into Sonia's left foot, and the infection began to spread throughout her body, even to the hardware in her right prosthetic knee. She was immediately admitted to the hospital and placed on IV antibiotics.

On November 21 in an attempt to save both the left foot and right knee, Sonia underwent a deep debridement surgery. It was unsuccessful. The left foot will need to be amputated and will need at least 6 weeks of IV antibiotics to attempt to save the right knee from another replacement or amputation as well.

On November 22, Sonia required a below-the-knee amputation of her left leg.

Sonia requires minimally 6 weeks in a physical rehabilitation and step-down facility in Tallahassee before being released home. It will be at least 1 year before she will be fitted with a prosthesis. She is still also being treated with IV antibiotics to save her right knee and leg. We hope for the best but are unsure of what the outcome will be.

Throughout this time, she and her family have been placed under financial strain from medical bills, hospital stays, and travel for her husband and daughter to be with her throughout all of these events. She still has a long way to go and needs our help, now and in the future.