With much gratitude to all the friends, family and doctors for getting me through this life changing experience here is my story: I was raised in Lake Tahoe and was known then as Nancy Hamrick (I now go by my middle name Kristine). I grew up with a love of mountains, outdoor sports and nature. Being so active in life I wore my right hip out at the young age of 54. Unable to walk after a year of increasing pain I went in for a routine full hip replacement. Everything seemed fine until a month into the healing a staph infection presented itself and I was immediately sent back to surgery 30 days after my original operation. Being so young and active my doctors decided to only remove part of the original hardware but leave the metal rod in my thigh bone in, as my bone had fully grown onto it. After months of IV antibiotics every 8 hours and 6 more months of oral antibiotics I started to feel better and spent most of 2019 healing and rebuilding my strength. I was able to go back to work and become active again in the sports I love so much, biking, hiking, swimming and surfing. I also became an avid birder and brought a sweet cockatiel named  Sunshine into my life. Life was looking good with many a day hiking and birding  the forests and beaches of Monterey with Sunshine perched on my shoulder eager to explore the world outside her cage.

Then suddenly  on October 13th as I was working my hip went out and excruciating pain sent me to the ER where I was diagnosed with another major Staph infection in my hip. Apparently the original infection had been lying dormant. So another total hip surgery (3rd one). This time removal of the metal rod from my thigh bone was my only choice. This was a complicated and risky procedure  that not many surgeons will even attempt. Amazingly I was blessed to have the extremely talented Dr. Lim spend 6 hours in surgery  delicately chiseling it out without cracking or having to saw my bone to remove rod. Now I have a temporary spacer loaded with antibiotics as well as IV antibiotics every 8 hours. For the next 3 months I cannot put any weight on my leg and I'm learning to hobble around with my walker, crutches and wheelchair. In 3 months I will have yet ANOTHER total hip replacement (4th one) to insert permanent hardware as long as the infection is gone. Needless to say my medical bills, deductible and out of pocket costs have put me in a difficult situation. I am uncertain when and if I will be able to return to my job that I enjoy so much.

The last 18 years I have worked for New Leaf Community market managing the Wellness dept. Being part of the Santa Cruz community, helping folks with nutrition and self healing, has been a fulfilling career for me. I've made dear friends over the years working in the store and am touched deeply by the love and support that has poured out to me during this challenging time.

I'm looking to raise 20,000 to get me through this next year of medical bills and loss of income. Life throws curve balls when we least expect it but I must be open to a different life moving forward. I will likely limp and have restricted use of my leg and may never  be able to do the sports I love or hike the mountains so dear to my heart as before but my spirit  is strong and my outlook is positive.

Thank you all for your support whether monetary or just a healing thought.




With Gratitude,




Kristine Hamrick