Help Fund My Life-Changing Surgery!
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This picture of me was taken June of 2015...the last time I remember I was pain free. The last time I was truly happy and lived my life without fear of the future.
Hello, my name is Melanie. I'm 22 years old, I'm a newly graduated nurse, and just in the prime of my career and the most important years of my life. However, for me, the last four years of my life have been a living hell. Four years ago, I was awaken from my sleep to excruciating pain in my lower right back, all the way down to my hamstring. I couldn't move, I felt paralyzed. I thought perhaps I just pulled a muscle. What I didn't know was this pain would define my entire life for the next four years, until this moment now as I desperately write this to you. Over time, my pain has also developed into extreme groin and hip pain. This has effected every single aspect of my life: my relationships with family, my friendships, my social life, my love life, and even up to my eating habits. But what kills me the most is that I cannot perform the job that I love and worked so hard to get my degree in for five long years.
I've been on a long journey. Of doctors, appointments, co-pays, injections, physical therapies, and more. You name it? I've tried it. I've had countless doctors tell me this isn't real--it's all in your head. That you're just depressed. Orthopedics, Gynecologists, Rheumatologists, and pain specialists all telling me they don't know what's wrong with me. And the x-rays and MRIs? All normal. And on top of that, I have dealt with this WHILE getting my degree in nursing school. But finally after five years, I met a doctor that finally listened to me. After a special diagnostic MRI arthrogram, I finally have a diagnosis: a severe torn hip labrum, and also a torn gluteus medius tendon with bursitis. Fancy, right? Also, my hip socket is far too small for my hip to perform the full range of motion that I need it to do. Long story short? I need surgery.
"How did this happen?" "Why me?" These are the questions I ask myself almost every day. These are the thoughts I've been having for four years, and these thoughts have brought me to really dark places. To desperate phone calls to hotlines, and to two long years of therapy. But at this point, I will never probably know what caused this or why our God picked me to go through this painful journey. But I know I am forever shaped and changed by living with chronic pain.
I need help funding my surgery and the expenses afterwards while I will be out of work for 6-12 weeks. My surgery is December 5th, 2019. I am not eligible for disability leave and pay due to just starting my job and not meeting the hours requirement. I also do not have enough PTO accumulated. I have no financial help, I am completely independent financially. Which means I will have to take a medical leave of absence with absolutely no source of income. I want everyone to know: I'm a hard worker. I love my job so much. I wish a thousand times I didn't have to be the person writing this and asking others for financial help. But I hope you can find it in your hearts to help me change my life forever. I want to live life like a normal 22 year old. I want to go out with friends and wear heels again, and dance without pain and tears. I want to marry my boyfriend and be able to be healthy enough to start a family of my own someday. I want to be an extraordinary nurse for my patients and change lives every day. But I cannot do this when I'm hurting so bad inside.
Every cent counts. I love you all so much. And to others out there dealing with chronic pain, DO NOT GIVE UP. I almost did, and it almost killed me. There is always light at the end of this dark and lonely tunnel called chronic pain. Thank you all for taking the time to read this!!!
Hello, my name is Melanie. I'm 22 years old, I'm a newly graduated nurse, and just in the prime of my career and the most important years of my life. However, for me, the last four years of my life have been a living hell. Four years ago, I was awaken from my sleep to excruciating pain in my lower right back, all the way down to my hamstring. I couldn't move, I felt paralyzed. I thought perhaps I just pulled a muscle. What I didn't know was this pain would define my entire life for the next four years, until this moment now as I desperately write this to you. Over time, my pain has also developed into extreme groin and hip pain. This has effected every single aspect of my life: my relationships with family, my friendships, my social life, my love life, and even up to my eating habits. But what kills me the most is that I cannot perform the job that I love and worked so hard to get my degree in for five long years.
I've been on a long journey. Of doctors, appointments, co-pays, injections, physical therapies, and more. You name it? I've tried it. I've had countless doctors tell me this isn't real--it's all in your head. That you're just depressed. Orthopedics, Gynecologists, Rheumatologists, and pain specialists all telling me they don't know what's wrong with me. And the x-rays and MRIs? All normal. And on top of that, I have dealt with this WHILE getting my degree in nursing school. But finally after five years, I met a doctor that finally listened to me. After a special diagnostic MRI arthrogram, I finally have a diagnosis: a severe torn hip labrum, and also a torn gluteus medius tendon with bursitis. Fancy, right? Also, my hip socket is far too small for my hip to perform the full range of motion that I need it to do. Long story short? I need surgery.
"How did this happen?" "Why me?" These are the questions I ask myself almost every day. These are the thoughts I've been having for four years, and these thoughts have brought me to really dark places. To desperate phone calls to hotlines, and to two long years of therapy. But at this point, I will never probably know what caused this or why our God picked me to go through this painful journey. But I know I am forever shaped and changed by living with chronic pain.
I need help funding my surgery and the expenses afterwards while I will be out of work for 6-12 weeks. My surgery is December 5th, 2019. I am not eligible for disability leave and pay due to just starting my job and not meeting the hours requirement. I also do not have enough PTO accumulated. I have no financial help, I am completely independent financially. Which means I will have to take a medical leave of absence with absolutely no source of income. I want everyone to know: I'm a hard worker. I love my job so much. I wish a thousand times I didn't have to be the person writing this and asking others for financial help. But I hope you can find it in your hearts to help me change my life forever. I want to live life like a normal 22 year old. I want to go out with friends and wear heels again, and dance without pain and tears. I want to marry my boyfriend and be able to be healthy enough to start a family of my own someday. I want to be an extraordinary nurse for my patients and change lives every day. But I cannot do this when I'm hurting so bad inside.
Every cent counts. I love you all so much. And to others out there dealing with chronic pain, DO NOT GIVE UP. I almost did, and it almost killed me. There is always light at the end of this dark and lonely tunnel called chronic pain. Thank you all for taking the time to read this!!!
Organizer
Mel Carol
Organizer
Rochester, MI
