Me and My Knee Need Some Help

Hi folks,

I’ve been putting this off for a while, but I’m past the point where I need to ask for help. I have an overdue arthroscopy and biopsy on my right knee scheduled for May 1st (happy May Day), to buzz away some bone fragments that are "shredding what's left of the cartilage," clean up the meniscus, and grow a cadaver ligament for a future reconstructive surgery - TBD but soon as possible or I've been advised I'll need a knee replacement within a decade.

I’ve kept postponing this arthroscopy because I've been doing rideshare and subbing while I've been back in school so low pay and no paid time off or employee benefits, but this surgery authorization expires on May 4th, so I’m reaching out to ask for help covering 2–4 weeks of recovery time, about $2,400–$4,800, because there's a chance it won't be renewed if it lapses. I’ve been trying to get unemployment or temporary disability without any luck so far.

After the pandemic hit funding was cut for both of my jobs (adjunct professor and archiving at the radio station) and in 2022 I ended up moving back to LA to go back to school.

I dislocated my kneecap for the second time in early 2020 and it went untreated due to the pandemic, and it was misdiagnosed as a severe repetitive stress injury in 2022, so I kept going on it when I shouldn't have, which exacerbated everything.

I didn't get a full diagnosis on everything that's going on until late last year, after I got more aggressive treatment through MediCal. In addition to loose bone fragments and worn out cartilage, it turns out I've also needed reconstructive surgery on the MCL (interior ligament) since I first dislocated it back in 2004, which went untreated at the time due to lack of health insurance.

I’m thankfully mobile again right now, but that knee is unstable and often painful, and at it's worst I can't bend or put weight on it.

Continuing to walk and work on it untreated since the second dislocation especially has caused an extended series of repetitive stress injuries that have taken me out for a couple weeks to a couple months at a time, which has wiped out my savings and put me in debt, like so many of us navigating this country's healthcare system.

I feel deeply uncomfortable asking for help, especially with how hard things are for so many people right now. But necessity demands it, and I've been convinced to try this before the authorization expires. Per my physician there's a chance getting it re-approved could be difficult right now due to the ongoing cuts to public health funding. Just getting this one scheduled and rescheduled has been a months long process.

If you’re able to help, I would be eternally grateful, but please only pitch in if you can afford to. And if you can't no worries, thank you for reading and sending any positive vibes my way.

Thanks again for your time. I hope everyone is doing well as can be, especially with everything going on right now.

Much love,

Elliott