Alexis (Aleksis) Baich Cover Medical Expenses

Hello everybody, my name is Alexis (Aleksis) Baich, and I am graciously asking for donations to help with medical expenses and debt caused by unexpected back surgery.

Five months ago, I began to experience severe, severe back pain. As a teacher and a coach this was very concerning, and the pain kept me bedridden away from my students and my teams for most of the spring semester of the 2021-2022 school year. The pain was so intense that basic everyday things such as sneezing, coughing, eating, and even laughing were debilitating at times. Walking was virtually impossible without the assistance of another person or use of a walker. Nothing brought relief. Heating pads, creams, physical therapy, even prescription-strength pain killers… everything was attempted and yet nothing helped. After visiting with a pain specialist, doctors thought they had finally located the problem. They explained that with a couple of localized injections my pain would to be gone. But first I needed an MRI just to verify the doctors had the correct diagnosis. Nothing could have prepared me for the days that followed.

On March 10th I went in for a routine MRI of my lower back & spine. A simple procedure I was unable to accomplish without a wheelchair and a few painful tears. On the morning of March 11th, I received a call from my pain doctor urging me to get to an emergency room as soon as possible. My MRI revealed an infection that needed immediate attention. After several hours of waiting, questioning, multiple scans, tests, ultrasounds, pokes, and prods, it was discovered that I had a ruptured abscess in my lower back that required immediate surgery and removal. On March 13th I underwent a 5-hour surgery to remove the infection. Once under the knife, the surgeons discovered the infection had spread across my lower back and up my spine, covering and partially deteriorating my L4 & L5 while also putting pressure on my nerves causing neuropathy in my feet & toes.

After surgery, I immediately began the lengthy road to recovery. Beginning with aggressive rounds of medications and antibiotics. I had a PICC line hooked up to a pump delivering a continuous infusion of antibiotics as a means of continuing to fight the infection. Weeks of recovery, regaining strength and mobility with continual physical therapy and doctors’ appointments, all necessary but costly.

I missed 46 of the approximately 90 workdays from January – April, 21 of those days went completely unpaid. As a result, I find myself overwhelmed by high medical bills and insurmountable debt. After months of stress and anxiety, I am asking for your help. Donations in any amount would be greatly appreciated to help pay down this unexpected bump in the road!