It's hard for me to ask for help, but here we go...

Osteoarthritis runs in my family. My dad was riddled with debilitating arthritis in his neck and spine and died at 62. I just turned 57 and am having trouble walking due to severe, advanced osteoarthritis in my hip. The medical folks encouraged me to get my hip replaced some time ago. The time has come!

I have hip surgery scheduled on July 11th. Recovery is expected to take anywhere from 4-8 weeks. Because I'm self-employed and ineligible for short term disability I'm on my own to cover my living expenses while in recovery. Fortunately, the surgery will be covered by my health insurance. I have copays for physical therapy and the procedure itself which are manageable.

I'm reaching out to ask for the support of friends, family, and colleagues to help ease the stress of financial worries so I can focus on recovery. I'd like to give a shout out to Abhayaratna Trust who has kindly offered to help with whatever else I might need.

If you are able to help, thank you, any and all gifts will be greatly appreciated. Your well-wishing for a successful procedure and smooth recovery will also be most welcomed!