Hi, my name is Shelby Greenburg and for a long time now I’ve made jokes about having the body of a 90-year-old. Turns out, I at least have the hips of one. Apparently, I need two new hips because the first two were duds. So now, at 27, I’ll be getting two total hip replacements.

I’ve been in a lot of pain for at least a decade now and as much as I’ve wanted to think nothing was wrong, I couldn’t ignore it anymore. I’m not able to walk more than a couple minutes or even put on socks without pain. So in July, I finally went to an orthopedic doctor to see if they could diagnose whatever was going on. It turns out I was born with Hip Dysplasia and a connective tissue disorder that’s caused me to develop severe bone-on-bone arthritis.

On October 13th I’ll be getting a total hip replacement on my right hip. When I’m done healing from that, I’ll be getting a total hip replacement on my left one some time in January. These surgeries are going to be life changing for me in every way.

I’m very fortunate to have insurance that’s covering most of the surgery. However, I won’t be able to return back to work for at least a month after each surgery, possibly longer. I work at a set shop on my feet and while some days I’m able to sit at my desk for portions, I’m often getting up and down, doing heavy lifting, climbing ladders, and doing a lot of walking and standing on my feet.

Being out of work for so long is going to have a huge impact on my ability to cover any expenses both related to the surgery and the cost of living, especially considering I’m not exactly rolling in the dough to begin with. So, I need your help. Any help you can provide will go a long way. I’m deeply grateful for all of you and I can’t wait to finally be able to go on walks with my partner.