My Leg, My Back, Give A Crippled Nurse Some Slack

The "why" I created this gofundme can be answered by watching College Humor's skit "GoFundMe CEO: We Could Use A Few Fun Ones" as it both humors and depresses you with how relatable it is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIsXEkR5OVs

As for the details, my name is J and I'm 30 years old and am needing medically-necessary surgery (hemilaminectomy, which isn't quite immediate as live-or-die gravity as the above skit luckily) to hopefully fix a low back injury I sustained from my job as a nurse in 2020.

How it happened:

In April 2020 I was assisting a patient out of bed for their first time post-surgery. It was one of the easier and common surgeries we received on our floors with a fast expected recovery, there shouldn't have been any issues, but of course that's how most things go awry--- from the unexpected. My patient was a teenager was a fitting example of just how big teens can get especially compared to my smaller frame self. As my patient was grasping my hand for light support and my other hand on their shoulder, upon exertion my patient did exert but suddenly went dead weight while still holding me and my back caved in. However, my dummy self didn't want to alarm my patient or their parent and so I gritted my teeth through the pain as he retried successfully. Unfortunately, from that exact moment until present day I've had issues with my gait, range of motion, and pain that have all worsened over time.

Post-injury life:

Bedside nursing was no longer viable for me and I tried desk work in the office working for my hospital network's covid infection control unit handling case management for employees, but my injury only worsened due to the nature of prolonged sitting for double digit hours. I've finished workers compensation and those that know the process, KNOW how infuriating, depressing, and gaslighting of an experience it is. I did complete over 160 hours of work-hardening return-to-work physical therapy but measured evaluations before and after proved to yield insignificant results and so instead of progressing to the next step of care, they closed my case saying "we've done all that we can".

I have left leg weakness whereas my right leg has significantly reduced leg of motion, tv static and frequent falling asleep issues. I have more pain than the typical "we're all getting old and have back pain" sort of back pain that runs in my low back and my right leg. I use a cane to help with my gait, but am forced to use a wheelchair when my leg and back have had enough and quit on me from either weakness, pain, or both. Lately, I've been having to use crutches instead of my cane now in order to relieve any pressure off my back and right leg since the pain has been worsening.

Attached below are my most recent MRI results:

I haven't been able to be active like I used to which was a huge part of my life and the past 3 years have taken a toll on me physically, emotionally, mentally, and my life-savings. I just want my quality of life back and I finally have an opportunity to do so now that I'm no longer with workers comp.

If you've made it down here, thank you for reading my wall of text mini-life story! And with every cent and media-share contributed, I am sincerely and wholeheartedly grateful for.