Help Cut Mike Angel!
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Help Cut Mike Angel
My name is Michael Angel, and I have cerebral palsy. It’s something that happens, usually at birth, when you don’t get enough oxygen to the brain and part of it dies. Despite this, I’ve graduated from two universities (Maryland and UNC), honored by the University of Maryland for extraordinary distinction and perseverance, hold a black belt in Tae-Kwon-Do, ridden horses, had a child, completed two Spartan Races and a Tunnel to Tower Climb of the Duke Energy building. I always believed that a disability should not stop someone from conquering life’s challenges.
I am currently facing one of the biggest challenges of my life, I need a new hip. Nowadays hip replacements are no big deal, many surgeons do it. But not if you have cerebral palsy. The doctors at Duke, in Charlotte and Columbia, have said it is too risky, there is a chance that the new hip would dislocate.
With my hip being so bad, I can’t do the things I used to take for granted. I used to be able to get in and out of my wheelchair, bed, the bathtub, on and off the toilet and I could crawl on the floor. Because sitting on the floor gave me a stable position to work from, I could dress and feed myself, stand on my knees and reach the dresser, turn on a wall switch and the TV. Before my hip wore out, I could sit on a blanket at the beach or on a picnic or concert. I could go tubing, whitewater rafting, Spartan Races, and tower climbs. I could do all this and sleep in a bed without the horrible pain I would experience if I tried to do ANY of these things now. And, because there is almost no cartilage, the bones are rubbing together. As the bones ware down, more nerves will be exposed, meaning the pain will only get worse.
But there is hope. The Hospital for Special Surgery, (HSS) in New York City, is ranked number one in the country in the area orthopedic surgery by U.S. News and World Report for the past nine years. It is the only hospital in the world with the sole mission of treating and mending bones, joints and the tissues that hold them together. Receiving the best orthopedic care possible brings patients from across the world to the doors of HSS. I identified with patient’s stories, men and women in severe pain, wanting to live again, wanting their lives back.
An undertaking like this will cost far more than I can afford. There will have to be two trips, the initial consultation with the surgeon, and the surgery itself. I will have to be driven to New York City because I can’t sit in an airplane seat. Rebecca, or someone, will have to go with me for assistance. I am not sure what the rehab will be, whether I will have to stay in New York, or if something can be arranged so I can do it in Charlotte.
The goal is to raise $5,000.00. This will pay for gas, food, and lodging for both trips, including any extra time Rebecca needs to stay in New York if the doctor decides it would be better if my rehab was done up there. I’m hoping to raise the money by late spring, so I can go next summer.
Anything that you can share will be greatly appreciated. It all will go to making my life better, healthier, and because I will be able to exercise more, it will make my life longer.
My name is Michael Angel, and I have cerebral palsy. It’s something that happens, usually at birth, when you don’t get enough oxygen to the brain and part of it dies. Despite this, I’ve graduated from two universities (Maryland and UNC), honored by the University of Maryland for extraordinary distinction and perseverance, hold a black belt in Tae-Kwon-Do, ridden horses, had a child, completed two Spartan Races and a Tunnel to Tower Climb of the Duke Energy building. I always believed that a disability should not stop someone from conquering life’s challenges.
I am currently facing one of the biggest challenges of my life, I need a new hip. Nowadays hip replacements are no big deal, many surgeons do it. But not if you have cerebral palsy. The doctors at Duke, in Charlotte and Columbia, have said it is too risky, there is a chance that the new hip would dislocate.
With my hip being so bad, I can’t do the things I used to take for granted. I used to be able to get in and out of my wheelchair, bed, the bathtub, on and off the toilet and I could crawl on the floor. Because sitting on the floor gave me a stable position to work from, I could dress and feed myself, stand on my knees and reach the dresser, turn on a wall switch and the TV. Before my hip wore out, I could sit on a blanket at the beach or on a picnic or concert. I could go tubing, whitewater rafting, Spartan Races, and tower climbs. I could do all this and sleep in a bed without the horrible pain I would experience if I tried to do ANY of these things now. And, because there is almost no cartilage, the bones are rubbing together. As the bones ware down, more nerves will be exposed, meaning the pain will only get worse.
But there is hope. The Hospital for Special Surgery, (HSS) in New York City, is ranked number one in the country in the area orthopedic surgery by U.S. News and World Report for the past nine years. It is the only hospital in the world with the sole mission of treating and mending bones, joints and the tissues that hold them together. Receiving the best orthopedic care possible brings patients from across the world to the doors of HSS. I identified with patient’s stories, men and women in severe pain, wanting to live again, wanting their lives back.
An undertaking like this will cost far more than I can afford. There will have to be two trips, the initial consultation with the surgeon, and the surgery itself. I will have to be driven to New York City because I can’t sit in an airplane seat. Rebecca, or someone, will have to go with me for assistance. I am not sure what the rehab will be, whether I will have to stay in New York, or if something can be arranged so I can do it in Charlotte.
The goal is to raise $5,000.00. This will pay for gas, food, and lodging for both trips, including any extra time Rebecca needs to stay in New York if the doctor decides it would be better if my rehab was done up there. I’m hoping to raise the money by late spring, so I can go next summer.
Anything that you can share will be greatly appreciated. It all will go to making my life better, healthier, and because I will be able to exercise more, it will make my life longer.
Organizer
Michael Angel
Organizer
Charlotte, NC