Help Kat Recover After Her Dental Emergency

Hey friends, I am making this GoFundMe on behalf of my dear friend Kat, who is dear to me and also to all of those that know and love her.

Kat is a pillar of the community here in Minneapolis, working hard as an educator at Twin Town Guitars. A multi-instrumentalist, she specializes in rock band classes for school-age girls as well as private lessons for all ages. An outspoken advocate for victims of domestic violence, she is also a beloved performer in the local scene. Kat gives so much to her community, and now she needs us to give something back.

On April 19th, Kat went in to get a routine root canal. When she experienced severe pain after the fact, she went back in - only for the clinic to tell her that she actually had a broken tooth and needed to get it removed. Whether the tooth was already cracked, or cracked by the procedure itself being done incorrectly is uncertain. But Kat had her whole tooth removed at that time, and went home, only to experience even more pain in the coming days.

When she went in again, the same clinic informed her that she had a dry socket and began treatment for it. When that failed to resolve the pain (it was actually getting worse), they said they would send her to a specialist but did not follow up. Kat waited three days and asked them again, and was seen by them again but never referred to a specialist who could actually help her with the problem.

After three and a half weeks of intense pain, Kat went into an emergency dentist and was told at that time that her tooth socket was so infected that part of her jaw bone was dead. Known as osteonecrosis of the jaw, this rare and debilitating condition can occur as a result of an untreated infection.

She has now been getting treatment for this condition and things are tentatively looking up on the medical side. However, Kat has been out of work now since April 19th. She has incurred thousands of dollars in dental bills as well as the significant loss of wages due to being unable speak, sing, or work at all. She has been unable to eat anything but a liquid diet, and has been in immeasurable pain.

We humbly ask the community for any financial support they can muster to help Kat during this incredibly challenging time. Money raised through this GoFundMe will pay for Kat's dental expenses, as well as her cost of living during the time in which she is unable to work. Because she is a self-employed musician, she does not have the benefit of sick days or PTO.

Any help is appreciated, including getting the word out and sharing this GoFundMe.

Thank you for your support!