Ingrid's Reconstructive Knee Surgery Relief Fund

Dear friends and family of lovely Ingrid Zettler,

 

            I am an artist living  in St. Thomas, USVI, and Ingrid's best friend. I have known Ingrid for over 20 years. She has always been the brightest light in my life, and continues to shine to everyone around her.

            As many of you may know, Ingrid has been struggling for many years with severe osteoarthritis due to a condition called “Patella Femoral“ in both of her knees. It has escalated in the last several years to the point where she  can no longer do squats, and has a hard time standing up and sitting down from a chair.
          Ingrid started the  journey to have a better quality of life last year, after both MRI’s and X-rays revealed that not only is the cartilage completely worn away, but the knee cap bone is now half of it’s original thickness due to long term bone on bone friction.

         She went to many orthopaedic specialists who all agreed that she was 20 years too young to have knee replacement surgery. Only one of those specialists was able to suggest an alternative solution which would correct the underlying issue, and he happens to be an excellent, qualified , and highly experienced surgeon who will perform this complex procedure.

        Friday August 7th,  Ingrid had major reconstructive knee surgery done that involves implanting new cartilage and correcting the misalignment of her knee caps.

         Ingrid must adhere to a strict regimen after her surgery , consisting of Physical Therapy at home. She will have to spend about six hours per day icing both knees, and will also have to use  a CPM  machine from the first day forward which will passively bend her legs for her to get her range of motion back. It will be a total of about 12 hours per day . This machine is a vital part of her recovery as it also helps  the cartilage heal and firm up faster. It will be a painful process, especially for the first 6-8 weeks, but Ingrid is determined and dedicated to her healing.

         Ingrid’s health insurance plan will cover part of the surgery, but unfortunately not all of it.. She will have to pay an exorbitant co pay and a lot of other out of pocket expenses that are not covered under her insurance , including the CPM machine, and a lot of medical and home equipment that will be necessary for her to function post op. Ingrid had to go on a medical leave , and will not be able to return to work for a long time.

         Anyone who knows Ingrid, understands what a truly beautiful soul she is, and how much she gives to others. I have never met anyone with a more loving, generous heart. I know that she has  a great support network of people who love and adore her as much as I do. This will be a long road to recovery, but I know she will not walk it alone, and will have a much better quality of life when it’s all done. I am so grateful to everyone who is willing to help her in any way, big or small. I would give anything to be able to be there with her, but unfortunately due to the risk of COVID, I cannot travel at this time.

          I created this go fund me in hopes of taking some of the financial burden off of Ingrid as she goes through this extremely difficult period. She needs to put all of her energy and focus on her recovery.

Thank you in advance  for your love and support. Any donation will be greatly appreciated. Please feel free to share with those  who care about Ingrid that I may have missed.

 It takes a village.