Hi, my name is Jason, I am husband to an amazing woman, Erica Wade. Let me start off by telling you about how we got to where we are today.

 

Erica grew up in Palisade, Colorado and was a typical freshman in high school. She played soccer, worked on her families orchard, and like to get out to hang out with her friends. This is where we met as our lockers in the freshmen hall of our school were right next to each other.

 

In 1988, Erica was involved in a catastrophic auto accident in Palisade, Colorado. She spent weeks in the hospital and over 3 months bed bound with 6 fractures in my pelvis and fractures through L3,L4,L5. After 4 surgeries on my right ankle, they had to utilize revolutionary (at the time) surgery to fuse her de-vascularized right talus. This was the only option to save her right leg, as the only other choice was to amputate her leg due to the damage.

 

 

 

 

Erica was able to go back to high school and we started hanging out in-between classes as we were both on crutches. Erica successfully graduated from high school. So, these high school sweethearts got married and we are now celebrating our 28th year of marriage this year. We have been blessed with two healthy children and of course several furry pets/companions (our other children).

 

In 2009 Erica had a total left hip replacement, as the wear and tear from a fused ankle wore down her hip joint. In 2010 the change in her gait caused the doctors to have to perform a right total knee replacement followed in 2011 with a left total knee replacement.

 

Once getting these replacement parts, Erica found joy in working with special needs kindergarten children. Some of the children were low functioning and provided quite a challenge for a lady who had both knees and one hip replaced. Erica started off by volunteering time at the school, and was later offered a job because of her kindness and caring.

 

During this time, Erica also suffered from several TIA's (minor strokes). In 2015, Erica's orthopedic surgeon came up with an idea to reverse her right ankle fusion and in 2016 the right ankle joint was replaced with a prosthetic.

 

If her leg was not enough of problems in 2016 Erica had both of her shoulders cleaned up from bone spears and arthritis. Then in 2017 the revision on the right ankle joint collapsed.

 

 

Unfortunately on July 7th, 2019 all surgical options were exhausted and Erica's right ankle was amputated.

 

 

 

 

 

As the challenges continued occurring for Erica, in July 2020, she was hospitalized for over a week with a bone infection that she had to have a central line of antibiotics so that she did not lose more of her leg or even her life. As she was able to get this under control in March 2021 Erica was diagnosed with degenerative disk disease in all the vertebra in of her neck.

 

If in the middle of this was not challenging enough, Erica decided to help two families have the same joy that we have had and she acted as a surrogate for them. Two families now have children, that they can love and are their own because of her selfless actions.

 

Because of the 32 years of collateral damage on my body she is facing a left below knee amputation (LBKA) as the wear and tear to the left ankle is becoming severe. Her doctor is offering her one last option an Exosym brace. The Exosym brace has been recommended to buy her some time. Unfortunately the Exosym brace is not covered by insurance and at $9,000.00 is a challenging amount for any family to have to encumber.

 

The ExoSym™ is a hybrid prosthetic-orthotic device that is custom-made to your individual needs and goals with optimal alignment, positioning, off‐loading, and control. It was developed as a way to help active-duty and retired service members avoid amputation.

 

 

She is so afraid of asking for help but left with no choice as she wants to, try to keep one of her last natural joints in her legs and stay mobile. As she has said, "with my body being riddled with arthritis she is just tired and just wants help." Erica today has gone to meet with the Hanger Clinic experts in Gig Harbor to get fitted for the brace and see if it is an option. We will update this page as we get closer and see if we can Help Erica Save Her Leg!!!!!

 

Please help my amazing wife with anything you can so that she can try and keep her leg and have one more success story by keeping her leg, and share with us the joy it could bring to keep her moving on her own leg.