Hello all. My name is Marco, and I am a T8 paraplegic. As some of you may know, I’ve been plagued with some really bad infections and large wounds caused by those infections over the past 15 months, chronic osteomyelitis and MRSA just to name a couple of the bugs. Doctors don’t know what the cause was, but I’m hoping and praying they’re gone for good. After many nights of no sleep, regular fevers of 103+ degrees, antibiotics so harsh and affected me so badly, but were necessary, that I didn’t want to live anymore, constant sweating beyond imagination, so much discomfort, many mental breakdowns, harsh physical limitations (more than I already had), poor quality of life for me AND my family, I am hoping and praying that I’ve had my last surgery. After having to lose over 100 lbs. just to qualify, I had the surgery to repair a giant wound on the back of my upper leg, which grew to reach my pelvic bone. It would never have healed without this surgery which is called a “flap”. Surgeons had to “fillet” the back of my leg off, from my knee to my butt cheek, cut out the wound area (which I heard was a very large area), remove some of my pelvic bone, cover the wound area with the “fillet” and stretch my skin and muscles to close it back up. I got an estimated 600 stitches/sutures inside and out. It's still going to be a tough journey as I am home now but still on bedrest for the next 4-6 weeks.

I'm asking for help as medical bills are piling up, and I need to make some modifications to some of my existing equipment and vehicles to protect my skin and bottom from this “flap” failing, as the blood flow to the back of my leg/hamstring is greatly reduced and will never be as resilient as before. I need to take extreme care, as the likelihood of pressure ulcers is increased significantly.

I’ve lived my life as a paraplegic very independently over the past 19 years, and this last 15 months has taken that away from me. It’s taken its toll mentally on me and also my family. I’ve had nothing but the best support mentally and physically from them, especially my girlfriend Lindsay, and her son Colton, which I consider my step son( they have been working so hard to keep our little farm afloat with very little to no help from me), my parents, and the rest of my extended family. I have not been able to work and will not be able to continue working as a mechanic. I’m still trying to figure out what to do for work. It may be impossible for some of you to believe this, but this past 15 months has been harder for me to get through mentally, physically and emotionally than when I broke my back in 2005, which left me in a wheelchair.

If you can spare ANYTHING, I would be indebted to you forever. Thank you for reading and God bless.