The time has come, the surgeon said, to replace that destroyed left knee!

We all get older. And some of us feel it in our joints.

Back in my 30s, I started having clicking and pain on climbing stairs sometimes. I didn't realize at the time that I was developing arthritis, just like my parents before me.

It's gotten slowly worse, and in the summer of 2024, I started to notice my gait changing. The pain was constant, and I was taking pain relievers every day.

I went through a round of Synvisc gel injections, which eased the pain temporarily. But my left knee was still quite painful. It was hard or me to stand for long periods, or walk more than a couple blocks.

I finally decided I had to have the surgery, even though my insurance wouldn't completely cover it. Otherwise, I was on my way to being disabled.

Being in the arts, I don't have the greatest insurance.

In addition to the surgery, I have some other medical bills, but the knee surgery is about half the total. If I can collect $3500, the hospital will forgive the rest.

Whatever you can give will help a lot.