Help Katey Barnett have Spine Surgery

Our youngest sister Katey, 29 years old, is in great need of medical intervention and many prayers. A $10,000 barrier is standing in between her and the spine surgery she desperately needs. I humbly share her story with you and ask for your help, knowing that we previously reached out for assistance when she and my brother faced serious medical crises last year. We appreciate all you did for them then and prayerfully ask for your help again now.

Katey has compressed nerves in her cervical spine (neck area) at the C6-C7 level, causing excruciating pain and leaving her unable to live an everyday life. This compression results from congenital spinal stenosis, which you are often born with if you have achondroplasia dwarfism. Nerves usually get compressed in our smaller-than-normal spines, or the spinal cord is impinged, causing severe pain and weakness and significantly impacting day-to-day life.

Katey loves to work with children, play the ukulele, and help others in big and small ways–and she is currently unable to do any of this because her nerve pain and spine degeneration are too intense to carry on as “normal.” Even simple tasks such as cleaning the kitchen, driving, and reading books are impossible now because her pain makes it so that she has to stay immobile for the rest of the day once it is aggravated.

But this is not new to Katey. She has had several spine surgeries but is still in pain. She had a good doctor, but he can no longer keep her as a patient. She has been faithful to physical therapy and other interventions, but the pain has returned, worse than ever.

Taking a leap of faith, Katey contacted Dr. Rick Sasso at Indiana Spine Group, where I (Sr. Gemma/Ashley) had all seven of my spine surgeries while living in Indiana. (In my opinion, he is the best doctor in the world!) He is patient-centered, one of the country's top spinal surgeons, and willing to take Katey on as a patient while other doctors have passed her by. He changed my life forever, and I know he can do the same for her!

She will have a spinal decompression and fusion surgery on January 19th, 2023, at St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis.

Katey has minimal health insurance because she is unemployed due to her medical issues. She needs to pay $10,000 before she can have this operation. So, we need your help!

I have seen God’s goodness this week as He brought her to Indiana for an appointment with Dr. Sasso, and even while there, He opened so many doors that were previously closed to her. While other doctors could not find what was wrong with Katey’s spine and told her they wouldn’t do anything, Dr. Sasso immediately discovered the cervical spine compression and knows how to fix it with an operation. Because God has been so good and so clear thus far, I am confident, with great humility, that He will help her raise the money necessary for this surgery.

If you would like to donate towards Katey’s surgery or her other medical expenses, it would be a tremendous gift to her. Please know that you are in all of our prayers within the Barnett Family, whether you can donate or not.

God Bless,

Sr. Maria Gemma Barnett

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