Most of you know me as -V-… and also know that my wife Mada and I relocated to Costa Rica after being quarantined during COVID in NYC.

Yesterday I had an accident while trimming some trees with a chainsaw and severely damaged my big toe and 2nd toe. Having gone through emergency surgery, it still remains to be seen if the 2nd toe will need to be partially amputated if there isn’t enough circulation.

Currently I’m in the hospital recovering from the surgery and I will have metal pins sticking out of my toes to keep them together for the next month, while I’m on crutches.

Although I’m very fortunate that this did not happen in the US medical system, which would’ve likely bankrupted us… it is still costly to have orthopedic surgery to reattach bones, repair tendons and skin.

I’ve always been too proud to ask for help yet circumstances sometimes force us to take a bite out of our pride.

I am very grateful to have friends that have become chosen family nearby that have helped us navigate this situation and I am hoping there are more people out there that I have been able to affect positively, that are now looking to sow some good karma.

If you have the means and the inclination, any donations will go a long way to help us recover financially from this unfortunate accident. Thank you any and all for your positive energy and donations through this difficult time for us.

THANK YOU to everyone for clicking through and sending your positive energy and even more so to those of you that have donated and/or shared this GoFundMe.

UPDATE: I am now home, changing bandages around the pins in the big toe and the 2nd toe… on Wednesday we find out for certain if the 2nd toe is salvageable or will need to be partially amputated. Doctor has a positive outlook as he sees circulation at the part that was severed.

UPDATE:

I GET TO KEEP (most of) MY TOES!

Today at a follow-up appointment the orthopedic surgeon made the decision that a joint amputation will NOT be necessary! This is a BiG WiN as that would’ve affected balance and function!

I will still be having a secondary operation/procedure to eliminate tissue with necrosis (dead tissue) , this Monday coming up, but this is the best case scenario!

Foot modeling is out of the question and I will be getting discounts on pedicures from this point forth.

Keep scrolling down for pictures of the injury without the bandages.

BEWARE: It’s not for the faint of heart.

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