Carolina Lopez is a beautiful, warm-hearted 37 year-old woman from a pueblo in southwestern Mexico who is way overdue for a break in life. After 25 years crippled and in pain, modern surgical techniques offer hope, if she can cover her portion of the medical costs.
Caro suffered a bicycle accident when she was 12. Upon impact, the bicycle seat apparently broke her femur (thigh bone) and hip and shoved the bones upward into her abdomen. Her financially strapped parents were unable to obtain first-rate medical help for Caro. Surgeons eventually implanted a type of now-obsolete steel plate and bolts in a desperate attempt to stabilize her hips and pelvis.
The doctors then told Caro that -- should she live – she’d never walk again, and would never lead a normal life or be able to have children.
Although the metal plate did provide stabilization, Caro was indeed unable to walk. Her muscles atrophied and her legs twisted and were virtually useless.
Despite the doctors' dire predictions, Caro survived, and took rehabilitation into her own hands. Over time, strenuous daily workouts helped strengthen and straighten her muscles until, eventually (miraculously, in the doctors’ opinions), Caro walked.
It was with pain, inelegantly, with limited movement and slightly deformed legs … but she walked!
Though deprived of many normal activities, Caro smiled and got on with her life. She was married for ten years, until her husband decided he wanted children and divorced her. She worked at various jobs, supporting herself on a meager salary, and took college classes in hopes of one day becoming a psychologist.
Then a little over a year ago -- much to everyone’s surprise -- Caro discovered she was pregnant. She was ecstatic! Being a mother was a seemingly unattainable, lifelong dream. It was the happiest moment of her life, full of joy and promise.
The father, her longtime boyfriend, saw things differently. Unlike her former husband, the boyfriend had no desire to become a dad. When he found out Caro was pregnant, he made a quick exit.
Being pregnant and unable to work, Caro moved back in with her father.
Shortly afterward, Caro’s beloved father – her lone familial ally -- was diagnosed with cancer. He died in Caro’s fifth month of pregnancy. His loss was devastating. Only the soon-to-be-born baby made his loss bearable.
On Nov. 10, 2017, at full-term, beautiful baby Gael Alexander was born by cesarean. Tragically, due to a rare heart defect, little Gael wasn’t destined to live. With his heart slowly failing, he died in Caro’s arms the following day. There are no words to describe Caro’s despair.
After being dismissed from the hospital, with no family support, Caro moved to Ixtlahuacan (just north of Chapala) and stayed with our son and daughter-in-law during her early physical and emotional recovery. The physical part was the easiest; the emotional recovery is ongoing.
But Caro doesn’t regret one minute of the pregnancy and birth. “I am changed forever,” she says, “I will always be a mother, even though my child is in Heaven.”
So, here we are in 2019. That 25-year-old metal plate was were never meant to be anything but a short-term fix. The passage of years, combined with the strain of pregnancy and childbirth, is causing Caro’s bones to painfully disintegrate. Without surgery, doctors say, the bones will continue to crumble, and she is facing life-threatening infection and possible amputation.
Surgeons at the Hospital Civil in Guadalajara envision a pain-free life with near full mobility for Caro, IF – in a series of three surgeries -- she has the metal implant removed from her femur and both hips totally replaced as soon as possible. Each surgery will be six months apart to allow for healing.
A portion of costs for these very expensive surgeries are covered by Mexico’s healthcare. However, many associated costs — primarily the prosthetic hip devices themselves — are not. Those must be covered by Caro.
Last week, Caro was let go from her $60-dollar-a week, sit-down job in a local restaurant kitchen due to her boss’ growing worry over her fragile condition. So she now owes rent, utilities and medical bills and has no income at all.
As I write this, Caro just today underwent the surgery to remove the implanted metal plate. Thanks to donations from friends and a hospital discount due to her indigent status, costs for this first surgery were met. But now comes the more difficult part.
In writing Caro's story, it is my hope that people open their hearts and their wallets to help Caro obtain the two remaining total hip replacement surgeries that offer her a relatively normal, mobile and pain-free life.
She must come up with approximately $6,000 for prosthetics and misc. medical costs, plus an estimated $2000 for care and support until she is able to work again.
If you would like to donate, funds can be sent to Caro through this GoFundMe page. If you are unable to donate, your prayers and well wishes for Caro are sincerely appreciated also, as well as a LIKE and SHARE of her Facebook pages:
• Help Caro to Walk (English)
• Ayuda a Caro a Caminar (Español)
Watch this page, as well as Facebook, for more information, updates and a complete list of needed items and estimated expenses. Thank you!
Caro suffered a bicycle accident when she was 12. Upon impact, the bicycle seat apparently broke her femur (thigh bone) and hip and shoved the bones upward into her abdomen. Her financially strapped parents were unable to obtain first-rate medical help for Caro. Surgeons eventually implanted a type of now-obsolete steel plate and bolts in a desperate attempt to stabilize her hips and pelvis.
The doctors then told Caro that -- should she live – she’d never walk again, and would never lead a normal life or be able to have children.
Although the metal plate did provide stabilization, Caro was indeed unable to walk. Her muscles atrophied and her legs twisted and were virtually useless.
Despite the doctors' dire predictions, Caro survived, and took rehabilitation into her own hands. Over time, strenuous daily workouts helped strengthen and straighten her muscles until, eventually (miraculously, in the doctors’ opinions), Caro walked.
It was with pain, inelegantly, with limited movement and slightly deformed legs … but she walked!
Though deprived of many normal activities, Caro smiled and got on with her life. She was married for ten years, until her husband decided he wanted children and divorced her. She worked at various jobs, supporting herself on a meager salary, and took college classes in hopes of one day becoming a psychologist.
Then a little over a year ago -- much to everyone’s surprise -- Caro discovered she was pregnant. She was ecstatic! Being a mother was a seemingly unattainable, lifelong dream. It was the happiest moment of her life, full of joy and promise.
The father, her longtime boyfriend, saw things differently. Unlike her former husband, the boyfriend had no desire to become a dad. When he found out Caro was pregnant, he made a quick exit.
Being pregnant and unable to work, Caro moved back in with her father.
Shortly afterward, Caro’s beloved father – her lone familial ally -- was diagnosed with cancer. He died in Caro’s fifth month of pregnancy. His loss was devastating. Only the soon-to-be-born baby made his loss bearable.
On Nov. 10, 2017, at full-term, beautiful baby Gael Alexander was born by cesarean. Tragically, due to a rare heart defect, little Gael wasn’t destined to live. With his heart slowly failing, he died in Caro’s arms the following day. There are no words to describe Caro’s despair.
After being dismissed from the hospital, with no family support, Caro moved to Ixtlahuacan (just north of Chapala) and stayed with our son and daughter-in-law during her early physical and emotional recovery. The physical part was the easiest; the emotional recovery is ongoing.
But Caro doesn’t regret one minute of the pregnancy and birth. “I am changed forever,” she says, “I will always be a mother, even though my child is in Heaven.”
So, here we are in 2019. That 25-year-old metal plate was were never meant to be anything but a short-term fix. The passage of years, combined with the strain of pregnancy and childbirth, is causing Caro’s bones to painfully disintegrate. Without surgery, doctors say, the bones will continue to crumble, and she is facing life-threatening infection and possible amputation.
Surgeons at the Hospital Civil in Guadalajara envision a pain-free life with near full mobility for Caro, IF – in a series of three surgeries -- she has the metal implant removed from her femur and both hips totally replaced as soon as possible. Each surgery will be six months apart to allow for healing.
A portion of costs for these very expensive surgeries are covered by Mexico’s healthcare. However, many associated costs — primarily the prosthetic hip devices themselves — are not. Those must be covered by Caro.
Last week, Caro was let go from her $60-dollar-a week, sit-down job in a local restaurant kitchen due to her boss’ growing worry over her fragile condition. So she now owes rent, utilities and medical bills and has no income at all.
As I write this, Caro just today underwent the surgery to remove the implanted metal plate. Thanks to donations from friends and a hospital discount due to her indigent status, costs for this first surgery were met. But now comes the more difficult part.
In writing Caro's story, it is my hope that people open their hearts and their wallets to help Caro obtain the two remaining total hip replacement surgeries that offer her a relatively normal, mobile and pain-free life.
She must come up with approximately $6,000 for prosthetics and misc. medical costs, plus an estimated $2000 for care and support until she is able to work again.
If you would like to donate, funds can be sent to Caro through this GoFundMe page. If you are unable to donate, your prayers and well wishes for Caro are sincerely appreciated also, as well as a LIKE and SHARE of her Facebook pages:
• Help Caro to Walk (English)
• Ayuda a Caro a Caminar (Español)
Watch this page, as well as Facebook, for more information, updates and a complete list of needed items and estimated expenses. Thank you!