Help Rikki keep their hip surgery date!

TLDR:

Rikki has hip surgery coming up on April 11th and we just found out that we need to pay the non-covered expenses in full by April 3rd to keep the appointment. If you can help out, we greatly appreciate it! If you would like to support in different ways, please connect with Rikki or Elize.

More detailed information from Rikki:

At 20 I was diagnosed with bilateral hip dysplasia which means the socket of my hip is too flat to hold my femur head in place making my bones quite wobbly. The doctor brushed me off when I asked what could be done for my pain after telling me I’ll ultimately need my hips replaced but that I wouldn’t be eligible for many decades. As a dancer I cannot overstate the challenge of having my most natural creative expression inaccessible. Dancing is like breathing to me, so I’ve pushed through until I can no longer walk without pain. My livelihood, hairdressing, has also become impossible to perform without pain. I've missed plenty of work for appointments, and just simply because I can't make it through the day.

I've sought medical help for years and have been told over and over again that I am too young for hip replacements and too damaged to restructure these old faulty saucer hips. I’ve powered through months and months of physical therapy, steroid injections, arthritis medication, somatic therapy, been offered a prescription for opiates (and refused them) etc. Nothing touched the pain.

So I prioritized my mental health, collectively missing months of work, for medically necessary gender-affirming surgeries. During this time I placed my hip pain on the back burner because, as I understood it, there wasn’t much else to do to resolve my suffering. I was at my breaking point when I demanded the fifth orthopedic surgeon help me. He agreed to a replacement but asked me to see one last specialist. This sixth doctor read me the result of my MRI; I have labral tears, bursitis, arthritis, bone spurs, and tendonitis. No wonder I need a cane most days. But if there is hope I will always suss it out.

He feels confident that through some bone reshaping, cleaning out, injection of stem cells and stitching up the tears I could get a handful of years out of these hips. If you have dealt with chronic pain you can understand how critical it is not to lose hope and I’m clutching it like a lifeline.

Unfortunately, because this doctor is at a private practice he does not bill in the same way I’ve encountered for prior surgeries where you receive a bill after the surgery. Nope, I found out at my pre-op appointment last week that I have to pay what isn't covered by insurance a week prior to my surgery on April 11th.

Non-covered expenses due on April 2nd: $5731.44

Anything raised above this amount will go towards the same surgery for my other hip (which will also cost the same amount), and help cover lost wages before the surgery, and during recovery.

Thank you!