Had below knee amputation need help for bills
Donation protected
My name is Cortney, I am 30 years old with 3 children ages 9,7 and 2 years old. My 9 and 7 year old are autistic, bringing its own challenges but ones we have dealt with effectively. On December 16th I had to have below the knee amputation.
My whole story can be read below but first for the reason for this gofundme: My spouse has been off work to take care of the children and help me in my immediate recovery. Now he is looking at 6 months before returning to work. In all honesty we need more then we asked for but felt so bad about even doing the go fund me this year 2020 has been so hard for so many people. The bills are piling up though (they were already starting to pile up before my surgery) and our truck needs repairs ($500 appx). We desperately need help getting our much needed vehicle back for all of my upcoming important appointments, and help getting our bills back to ‘current’ status. We have already used all community resources available to us and will continue to explore those avenues as more become available. If you are unable to give, please share with people that may be able to give. Thank you so much!
Now for my story:
This amputation is not from being diabetic but from an accident 12 years ago. When I was 18 years old I got into a bad 4wheeling accident, breaking the major bones in my left lower leg that would heal and I would be back on my feet in no time. Being the invisible teenager, (weren’t we all invisible at that age?) I fell while not wearing my boot and re-broke my leg and shattered my ankle. I didn’t have health insurance at the time so I let it go for 2 months until I couldn’t take the pain anymore. Then by the help of my parents up north I finally saw a specialist he informed me I shattered my ankle and re- broke my leg in two places. Healing had begun but, as bones are likely to do, healed in the wrong position.
They spent a couple months trying to correct things without surgery, but we eventually had no choice and I had to have surgery. My first surgery was up north by the help of my parents they tried fixing things the best they could. I came back to Florida I still couldn’t walk or bare weight. My insurance wouldn’t pay for physical therapy so I hobbled on crutches without needed PT and other treatments. I was told I wouldn’t walk again unaided. I proved them wrong, walking on a malformed leg, causing more damage to my body. Again, invincible.
Six years after the original injury I was having a really hard time getting around and keeping up with my very active boys, and in so much pain from not walking properly. I went to another ankle specialist who told me I had chronic neuropathy, a lot of arthritis, and damage to my ankle and leg bones. He also informed me that the way I was walking was causing a lot of damage to the rest of my body. He said that if I kept going I would need hip surgery, back surgery, and I was causing damage my good leg and ankle from favoriting it. I had no mobility in my left ankle I couldn’t move it or bend it at all. All of this made sense. I was living it.
This doctor claimed he could do an ankle implant surgery and I would get 90% of my mobility in my ankle back, then do physical therapy to walk properly and not cause more damage to my body. I didn’t do more research before doing the surgery or I would have found out that doing ankle implant surgery is the worst thing to do to a young active patient it won’t hold up long. I didn’t do that. I trusted a medical professional and went through with the surgery. Everything went horribly wrong.
The incision became infected while the doctor ignored the signs. As a result, not only was my mobility not increased but I had an open, infected wound over a failed implant.
To top off the FABULOUS 2020 we’ve all been enduring, I was dealing with so much pain and discomfort, I was having a really hard time getting around, not being able stand for more than ten minutes, both my legs kept wanting to give out. The decision was made that my best hope for getting my life back was amputation, and I agreed, as well as two other physicians. The amputation was done 12/16/20.
Thank you all for your empathy, support, concern, and help you’ve already provided. It has truly been invaluable.
Cortney
My whole story can be read below but first for the reason for this gofundme: My spouse has been off work to take care of the children and help me in my immediate recovery. Now he is looking at 6 months before returning to work. In all honesty we need more then we asked for but felt so bad about even doing the go fund me this year 2020 has been so hard for so many people. The bills are piling up though (they were already starting to pile up before my surgery) and our truck needs repairs ($500 appx). We desperately need help getting our much needed vehicle back for all of my upcoming important appointments, and help getting our bills back to ‘current’ status. We have already used all community resources available to us and will continue to explore those avenues as more become available. If you are unable to give, please share with people that may be able to give. Thank you so much!
Now for my story:
This amputation is not from being diabetic but from an accident 12 years ago. When I was 18 years old I got into a bad 4wheeling accident, breaking the major bones in my left lower leg that would heal and I would be back on my feet in no time. Being the invisible teenager, (weren’t we all invisible at that age?) I fell while not wearing my boot and re-broke my leg and shattered my ankle. I didn’t have health insurance at the time so I let it go for 2 months until I couldn’t take the pain anymore. Then by the help of my parents up north I finally saw a specialist he informed me I shattered my ankle and re- broke my leg in two places. Healing had begun but, as bones are likely to do, healed in the wrong position.
They spent a couple months trying to correct things without surgery, but we eventually had no choice and I had to have surgery. My first surgery was up north by the help of my parents they tried fixing things the best they could. I came back to Florida I still couldn’t walk or bare weight. My insurance wouldn’t pay for physical therapy so I hobbled on crutches without needed PT and other treatments. I was told I wouldn’t walk again unaided. I proved them wrong, walking on a malformed leg, causing more damage to my body. Again, invincible.
Six years after the original injury I was having a really hard time getting around and keeping up with my very active boys, and in so much pain from not walking properly. I went to another ankle specialist who told me I had chronic neuropathy, a lot of arthritis, and damage to my ankle and leg bones. He also informed me that the way I was walking was causing a lot of damage to the rest of my body. He said that if I kept going I would need hip surgery, back surgery, and I was causing damage my good leg and ankle from favoriting it. I had no mobility in my left ankle I couldn’t move it or bend it at all. All of this made sense. I was living it.
This doctor claimed he could do an ankle implant surgery and I would get 90% of my mobility in my ankle back, then do physical therapy to walk properly and not cause more damage to my body. I didn’t do more research before doing the surgery or I would have found out that doing ankle implant surgery is the worst thing to do to a young active patient it won’t hold up long. I didn’t do that. I trusted a medical professional and went through with the surgery. Everything went horribly wrong.
The incision became infected while the doctor ignored the signs. As a result, not only was my mobility not increased but I had an open, infected wound over a failed implant.
To top off the FABULOUS 2020 we’ve all been enduring, I was dealing with so much pain and discomfort, I was having a really hard time getting around, not being able stand for more than ten minutes, both my legs kept wanting to give out. The decision was made that my best hope for getting my life back was amputation, and I agreed, as well as two other physicians. The amputation was done 12/16/20.
Thank you all for your empathy, support, concern, and help you’ve already provided. It has truly been invaluable.
Cortney
Organizer
Cortney Egan
Organizer
Port Charlotte, FL
