Christine Carelli's Medical and Other Bills

Hi. I am Christine or Chrissie Carelli. In December of 2021 I had a bilateral knee replacement. This surgery made me feel the almost normal. I had such bad bone on bone joints that i could hardly walk unassisted. Most of the time, when going out, I found myself on a motorized scooter if it was available. Even on vacation, I spent most of the time on a scooter. Not the most fun, to be on a vacation and not enjoy yourself due to to fact that you couldn't walk. That frustration led me to getting a double knee replacement.

Two months after the surgery I found myself under a scalpel, as my right knee became infected. The knee had to be opened up and cleaned out. The infection had to be scraped away. Once I healed I finally felt the best I had in 20 years! I even went camping all alone, quite successfully, I might add. Well, unfortunately, that was short lived. I was able to return to work in March of 2022.

A few months later, September of 2022, I started to feel less than I was. I was having back pain and weakness in my legs. I thought it was just fatigue but I did go to the ER when I started to swell. Well, the hospital dismissed me, saying I should keep my feet elevated. Not an easy task when you work on your feet all day.

One day, I left work. My feet hurting, but by the time I went from my job to my front door, I was in such excruciating pain that I couldn't get out of my car. I kept my feet elevated at the ER's say so but I had to go out on disability. I then went to a rheumatologist, who told me to see a vascular surgeon, by just looking at my hands.

I developed a tennis ball-sized knot on my left shoulder and could hardly move it. Went back to the ER and an x-ray was taken of the shoulder. "No Trauma Indicated". So I was sent on my way...no bloodwork taken, nothing...I was dismissed fast too because "they needed the bed".

Long story even longer...I woke up one day, to find myself paralyzed from the chest down. I couldn't move yet I was in excruciating pain. I rolled myself off my couch onto the floor and told my husband, Joe, to call 911, because the only way I was going to be taken seriously was if I was brought there in an ambulance.

Well I was taken seriously. An MRI of my back revealed a massive MRSA infection spread over 4 vertibrae. This hospital, however, could not handle my case so I was transferred to another. I was subject to a lumbar laminectomy to remove the infection. Sometime later, I was transferred to a sub-acute rehab facility. After 5 days, my incision opened, and from sitting in soiled diapers for too long, I developed another infection in my spine. I was rushed back to the hospital for another spinal surgery. Now, mind you, this is all spread out over 3 months. NJDOL has still not even processed my disability.

I was then transferred back to the rehab and for 2-1/2 months I was there, recovering from two back procedures. While in the rehab, my left leg slipped from under me, hyperextending it. This injury turned into cellulitis in my left knee. Another trip to the hospital, another surgery. A nice chunk was removed from my left knee. So it would seem, the original infection in my right knee was the gift that keeps on giving. It traveled to my back and my left knee. And Lo and Behold, it has once again reared its ugly head, but in an old friend, the right knee. So now, come May 25, I will be under the knife once again, to remove the old joint completely, put in an antibiotic spacer. Then a few weeks later, a completely new joint will be installed. Not to mention the fact that I am allergic to the IV antibiotic. And that's my sad story. I've just returned to my family after being away from them for 5 months, three seasons. I am attached to a wound VAC machine, very large back brace, and my third picc line.

I haven't worked in 7 months and won't be back for a while. Still have not received any disability from the state. My husband has been on disability and we all know the generosity of the federal government. So needless to say, bills are piling up, all over. I'm asking you to donate anything you can scrounge up. Anything at all will be appreciated more than you know!

Thank you for listening and thanks for your support.