Help Karl survive a medical nightmare !

Dear friends, neighbors & fellow artists,

I am looking for your support in raising finances to help with medical bills, transportation costs to & from UC Davis & some living expenses during my recovery from spine surgery & the loss of function & strength in both arms.

On July 6th of 2022 I had reconstructive foot surgery due to an autoimmune disease I have that causes chronic arthritis & joint deterioration. I returned home in a knee high cast & told to stay immobile for the next 3 months. With no one to help me & in a tremendous amount of pain this was not an ideal situation. Unfortunately a month into my recovery I had a severe fall impacting my head & neck, causing the loss of feeling & strength in my right arm. Despite me expressing concern there could be permanent damage, it took my doctor 2 months to get me an MRI & misdiagnose me with “frozen shoulder” . At the peak of frustration I finally requested that I be referred to a specialist.

After another 2 months of phone calls & waiting I got an appointment at UC Davis spine clinic . On Feb 29th now of 2023 I was admitted for urgent spine surgery. My spine had been severely impacted , constricting my spinal cord (spinal stenosis) . Due to the amount of time that had passed my spine was also pinching the nerves in my back & neck leading to me loosing full mobility in not just my right arm , but now both arms. The surgery has a good success rate but there’s no guarantee & the longer the nerves have been pinched the less chance there is of ever regaining any strength or mobility.

I have endured the last 4 months recovering at home in a neck brace, again with no help & little to no use of my arms . This has made it extremely difficult & some days impossible for me to feed myself, shower, brush my teeth, get dressed, paint or draw, ect.

This ordeal has been a nightmare in many ways & put me out of work for over 11 months now ,but I’m trying to stay positive. Thankfully I’m slowly weening out of this neck brace & can get started on physical therapy. I have regained a tiny bit of strength in my arms but there’s still a long road ahead & a lot of uncertainty. I sincerely appreciate your time & consideration. Your donation is a significant help in my recovery, getting my life back & hopefully returning to a career I love & desperately miss!

Love & respect,

Karl Fisher