Struggling with myositis & BED recovery: need skin removal!
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I am seeking a payment plan, hoping for a certain % of the cost down! (I likely have to go to the US or Brazil for this treatment, due to other medical barriers.)
Hi, my name is Alexandra, I live in North Ontario and I'm hoping to raise funds for a body lift after weight loss, post-ED recovery surgery. The cover photo is one of the procedures I need done and this has been confirmed with a few doctors since I've lost so much weight. I have lost over 100 pounds in only a year or so, and because of this - I sadly have loose skin all over my body. I cannot even stomach (no pun intended) looking at myself in the mirror because of this.
I have gained a "better quality of life" but my physical and mental health has still declined in other ways, largely due to this loose skin. It's ironic, I was told my life would get better in every way - little did I know, it'd end up worse than before.
I developed this problem to begin with because I developed Binge Eating Disorder after getting hit with CPTSD and depression.
I have PCOS and other hormonal imbalances/problems so losing weight to begin with was extremely difficult. My arms in particular are very stressful to deal with, since they heavily impede my every day life - Ontario (OHIP) does not cover loose skin removal - even if it IS causing problems daily. I have tried to reach out concerning this but have been turned down every time. My family doctor said there was no point trying to appeal to them.
DETAILS ON THE SURGERIES I NEED AND A FEW IMAGES PROVING MY CURRENT ARMS, AS AN EXAMPLE:
(Look at the pictures of my arms! My normal arms are quite literally completely visible, there's just a massive flab of primarily skin in the way.)
Arms outstretched are like this:
I can stretch the skin 3.5 inches off of my arm, atm. That is a lot.
I have loose skin in these areas, so I am pursuing a body lift and hoping that whoever reading this will consider helping/sharing;
- Arms, I often have to sleep in a strange bendy position which puts strain on my back otherwise I end up waking up with significant chafing/raw skin/the start of a rash - it's horrible for both my arms and my back. I have pulled my shoulders over a dozen times in the past 5 months due to this. It is causing a lot of problems, lol.
- Upper/middle back (this will be corrected when the loose arm skin is removed, since it'll tighten the area!!)
- Upper AND lower belly, upper hips, a sort of "apron", I often end up with chafing and rashes due to this since I cannot prevent the drooping.
- Neck is very stretchy especially under my chin lol
- Upper thighs (inner thighs are super bad, thighs chafe bad because of it, above knees have some problems too but there's no chafing unlike my inner thighs)
Only small amounts of fat are involved - it's primarily skin. I am hoping to book an official consult soon with a doctor or two in a few different areas to see what my options are. I should be able to come up with the money for the consult on my own, but I am hoping for help for the overall surgery - I need a down payment for the payment plan as well.
The estimates I got for work in the US roughly were;
- Neck: $4,000 to $8,000
- Abdominal: $7,700 to $12,500
- Arms: $4,500 to $7,800
- Thighs: This one will likely be around $10,000. May be less though!
- Back: Should be included in arms/upper belly once the skin is properly tightened.
I believe I can get a total body after weight loss job done to remove all of the excess skin - I am hoping that I can get a combined consult, but the total cost of ~$24,000 should still be correct. I am only asking for help with about 20-25% of this at the moment, but if my fundraiser goes past that, I will not complain whatsoever. I am immensely grateful for any help I *do* get.
I hope I can touch hearts with this, I just want to be able to turn my life around and feel alive again after surviving everything that I have. The fact that I am even alive today is an achievement, not just because of my mental health but my physical health, too. This is my official plea for help.
Thank you so much for reading. With love, Alexandra.
Organizer
Alexandra Moore
Organizer
Espanola, ON