For the past 2 years, my mother Angela has been suffering with crippling back pain caused by a condition called Spinal Stenosis. After multiple attempts at conservative treatments such as spinal injections and PT achieved limited success, she has finally been approved for surgical treatment (lumbar spinal fusion) scheduled for February 12th.

Angela has been unable to work, on unpaid medical leave, since September 2024. She has been scraping by on Social Security for rent, bills, and treatments. This procedure will allow her to work again and recover necessary income, as well as vastly improve her quality of life.

However, the costs for this procedure after insurance approval are much greater than we anticipated. The up-front payment alone costs $760, due before the appointment. The overall total for the entire procedure will cost us $1425. And if we try to reschedule to a later time, she would lose her employment completely as her medical leave will expire in March.

With my own family’s unexpected costs for healthcare and sudden relocation, myself and my spouse are devastated that we have nothing left to assist Angela with the cost for this much needed surgery.

We are hopeful that our community can help us get her back on her feet and free of excruciating pain. Any amount will get us closer to the initial hurdle of the pre-payment, the rest of the procedure, and creeping toll of overdue bills accrued during an extended unpaid leave of work.