Help Lori Overcome Her Medical Crisis

We have had a challenging year that will forever change our lives. My wife, Lori, will now never be able to bend her knee ever again.

Lori developed an infection in her knee. It prompted an emergency room visit on Christmas Day, but it was diagnosed as a rheumatoid arthritis flareup. Her pain never went away, even after two more trips to the ER in January and February.

The pain eventually spread to her shoulder. After getting no treatment from one hospital, we went to a different one, who discovered it wasn't rheumatoid arthritis. It was a septic infection. She had two surgeries to flush the infection out.

We thought we were on the mend in March, but the issue with her knee returned. It began bending in an unusual way and she couldn't put any weight on it. Come to find out, the infection was in her bone. It was so bad that it caused her knee to collapse. The doctor described the damaged bone as having the consistency of shaved ice.

We were left with two options: remove the infected bone and permanently fused the knee joint in place or amputate. We opted to sacrifice the knee to save the whole leg.

Even when Lori is given a clean bill of health, she will still have no use of her knee joint. There was so much damage that knee replacement will not be an option.

This whole situation has left us in an incredible financial bind. Lori has not been able to work, and we are living on one income. And not only do we have high bills from two hospitalizations, but Lori has also needed an antibiotic treatment for weeks with a $250 weekly co-pay. On top of that, we’ve also had to pay for items to make our apartment handicap accessible.

This situation has taken an emotional toll on her as well. She can put on a brave face, smiling when she can, but deep down this has weighed heavily on her. She is currently receiving counseling for PTSD, and the mental struggles are as much of an uphill climb to overcome as the physical toll.

Lori is the love of my life, and I will stand by her side. We have received some help from our families and work friends, but we are still having a hard time staying afloat. Any assistance you can provide us in this time of need would be very much appreciated.

Thank you in advance for any help you can provide.