I need help covering the shortfall in income from short-term disability payments after a total hip replacement. This will be my second THR from bilateral avascular necrosis of my femoral heads. My right hip was replaced in February, and the intention had been to wait until next year for my left to be replaced, but it’s not holding up as hoped. I am the sole source of income for our family of five, with my wife staying home with our three children, ages 9, 13, and 15 and homeschooling them. Unfortunately my previous surgery has caused a denial in supplemental short term disability coverage, and the maximum payment is less than $500 a week. That is less than half of what a normal income would be each week.

For those curious, avascular necrosis is the death of bone matter due to restricted or loss of blood flow to a portion of the bone. It is most typically found in long bones like a femur. There is no cure except a hip replacement. Most often it is only diagnosed in the late stages when the pain becomes severe, and when a patient has an X-ray or other scans done. At that stage, the only option is the surgery, with intermittent subcutaneous corticosteroids injections as a layover until surgery can be scheduled.