Help Asa get Surgery to Prevent Early Onset Arthritis

Hi there, my name is Bijou Asa Morse (formerly Bendu Konneh), and I'm fundraising to undergo bone surgery that will allow me to live a better life. I lost the genetic lottery and inherited my bow leg deformity from my dad. It's always bothered me and has been a huge insecurity my entire life.

I've never liked how my legs look, especially when I wear short skirts, shorts, or dresses, so I always avoided wearing those outfits. When going out, I wear boyfriend jeans, bell bottoms, baggy pants, and high-waist bootcut jeans like the ones in my cover photo. I've been able to get by this way.

But within the past few years, I started getting knee pain that has made biking, walking, and running very difficult. I've been having lower back pain, and I've also noticed more crackling sounds in my knee and hip joints. Basic Yoga and Pilates poses I used to do with ease are now painful.

So I decided to finally stop pretending that it wasn't a big deal and researched surgeons and hospitals that could help my condition. I found several hospitals specializing in adult bow leg surgery – most are in Sweden. Only one is in the United States – the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan, NY (HSS).

I went to NYC last month for a consultation, which included an X-ray, physical exam, and surgery plans.

My surgeon told me that I definitely have genu varus deformity (the medical term for bowleggedness) and that my left leg is more severely bowed and slightly shorter than the right. My hips and spine are misaligned because of this imbalance, which explains my lower back pain.

He said that I was also showing early signs of arthritis and that if left untreated, I would develop arthritis by age forty (I'm currently thirty-three).

My spine leans to the right while standing straight. You can also see the height imbalance in my hips.

The tiny slivers of white lines along the top of my tibia bones are early signs of arthritis.

After the examination, we came up with an osteotomy (bone surgery) plan. I was just happy for the opportunity for this kind of corrective surgery because, for years, I thought this was impossible, that I'd have to live with the insecurity and physical pain.

During the surgery, my surgeon will cut the bones (femur and tibia), insert metal plates to realign the bones, and then fill the space with bone graft, which will eventually blend naturally with my bones. This article and accompanying video show the process better than I can explain (it's not graphic).

Here's where I need your help. The entire surgery will cost $66,360. I have insurance through work. However, because my surgeon and the hospital are out-of-state (I live in Oregon) and out-of-network, my insurance will only cover 70% of their allowed amount for osteotomy.

Their allowed maximum amount is $2000 per CPT medical code, which means my insurance will help me with a maximum of $8000 for my surgery. I will still have to pay the remaining $58,360 (including my surgeon's deposit).

Throughout this entire process, I learned that when insurance companies give a percentage of what they will pay (versus your co-pay or co-insurance), they actually mean a percentage of the allowed amount on your insurance card/benefits booklet, not the total amount of your medical bill.

The medical codes and fees my surgeon's staff gave me for each operation are below.

Cpt code 27715 fee 19,700.00 Dx: M21.762

Cpt code 27745 fee 13,430.00 Dx: M85.662

Cpt code 27466 fee 19,500.00 Dx: Q68.3

Cpt code 27495 fee 13,730.00 Dx: M85.652

I got a part-time job in addition to my full-time job to help with travel expenses and medical fees. I will also withdraw from my 401k and use the little I have in savings, but I'm afraid that won't put a dent in my total medical bill.

*Please ignore my previous diagnoses of fibroids (uterine leiomyoma) and anxiety.*

Your support will allow me to prevent arthritis and avoid a more severe deformity. This surgery will give me the confidence and self-esteem boost I've dreamed of for years and allow me to live a healthier, more active lifestyle. If you can donate even a tiny amount, that would be immensely helpful.

I will update you every couple of weeks on my surgery and recovery process. Please donate and share with your friends when you can. Thank you so much for your support.

-Asa