Hello, My name is Sheri and I am asking for help with living expenses and needs for posy surgery due to an above knee amputation. I have been though 10 surgeries. 9 trying to fix the first one. I am asking for help as I will be missing work post-op and need some supplies and equipment.
We were hit by a drunk driver in August 2013. in 2015 I had to seek out a Orthopedic doctor due to knee pain lingering from that accident. He did testing and explain I possibly had a torn meniscus and needed surgery. I had the surgery and it did not help. in 2017 the same surgeon stated I needed arthroscopy to check the knee and clean out scar tissue. I did that also. I still did not get relief. in 2018 the surgeon did more testing, scans and Xray's and came back and told me I needed a total knee replacement. So I was off the have that. It was all bad from the start. I had no idea how involved it was at first. Him and his PA told me I would be walking out the same day of surgery. Only later did I find out they lied. He did the surgery, and I went home the next day. Once I was home and the nerve block wore off the pain was unimaginable. I couldn't move my leg on my own and when my family tried to help me all I could do is scream and cry. I even went to the ER by ambulance thinking it was a blood clot. This was the beginning of the end of my normal life. The surgeon stated the pain and issues were due to my Fibromyalgia. I had a very successful shoulder surgery a few years prior and had no healing issues from it. He also waited 6 weeks to start me at PT. Then he tried to do a manipulation in late 2018 due to not having range of motion. Here is what has followed that.
I saw a different doctor at the other end of the state and he did a revision. He told me the original hardware was too big, angled wrong, aligned wrong and the knee never would have rehabbed. It still wouldn't bend. I had another Arthroscopy with manipulation. Still nothing. I then found a fairly newish local doctor and went to her. I instantly adored her. She did more scans and X-rays and we found out the revision hardware in my femur was loose. She scheduled me for a partial revision. I was doing amazing ! over 100 degrees. Walking without a limp. Until I wasn't . I developed a staph infection in that joint. She went in and cleaned it all out. I could never really move it again. After even more testing and visits, including one to University of Utah, the infection had made the hardware loose. AGAIN. So we tried our last option. I did a 2 stage revision with a distal femur replacement. unfortunately it is apparent after a year that has failed also. I can't hardly walk now, the pain of standing is horrendous. My only option left for a decent life after 13 years of fighting is an above knee amputation. I saw the surgeon who is going to preform it yesterday and we now have the ball rolling. Thank you for taking the time to read my story and if possible please share my GoFundMe.
05/2015 - Meniscus repair
05/2017 Arthroscopy
07/2018 - Total Knee
10/2018 - Manipulation
05/19 - Total knee revision #1
04/2021 - Arthroscopy with manipulation
05/2023 - Total knee revision #2
07/2023 - Staph infection debridement
04/2025 - Stage 1 of two stage Revision
07/2025 - stage 2 of revision with distal femur replacement
04/2026 - Above knee amputation.