Help Maria Get Back Up
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On August 30, 2002, it was my birthday and I was greeted by my baby sister crawling on her knees wishing me a happy birthday. I thought she was being silly but instead, she said she couldn't feel her legs.
It was that evening that she ended up in the hospital for emergency surgery to save her from becoming paralyzed. Dr. David Feldman was our angel that day. He performed emergency surgery on his day off and because of him, Maria was able to walk, dance, and live again.
Fast forward fifteen years, October 2016, from a simple fall in the bathroom, Maria injured her knee. She was born with a genetic disorder that consists of insensitivity to pain with anhydrosis. Meaning, she does not have the full capability of feeling pain as we do. Since October 2016, she was still able to work and walk on her knee until it was completely shattered until she needed to have surgery.
Only this time, Dr. David Feldman has moved to Florida and cannot perform surgery on Maria. You would think there are so many other doctors in NY, why go to Florida? Because of insurance, she was not able to go to Florida and have the surgery and had to look for a doctor here in NY. After a handful of NY doctors refused this surgery because "it is too complicated," she was able to find a doctor that wanted to help Maria and perform the surgery. He was nice enough to have Dr. Feldman fly in and assist him in the operating room. These expenses were paid out of pocket by my parents.
It only took 3 months of waiting on bed rest to get this situation under control. On April 3rd 2017, Maria finally had the surgery and was hospitalized for another 3 months including rehab to get the physical therapy and care she needed to get her back on her feet.
Unfortunately, even after the surgery, rest, and physical therapy, the results were not what we hoped for. She will now need another operation to save her leg. However, she needs to have the operation in Florida with Dr. Feldman and his team. And because her insurance does not have out of state coverage, she will have to pay out of pocket for not only the surgery, but the hospital stay and recovery. As we all know health care is very costly. The price is unreal, and for this reason we are asking for your gracious support.
Doctor Feldman's expertise will make the osteotomy a success. Maria just wants to live a normal life. Her road to recovery is long. Her will to walk and run is strong.
It breaks my heart to see my sister go through this and all I want is for her to get her life back together. To get back on her feet and be the bold, lively, young woman that she was.
Time is not on our side. It's been almost a year since she fell and shattered her knee and will probably need at least another 3 months of physical therapy after the surgery. The sooner she comes up with the funds, the sooner she will be able to have the operation to save her leg and get her back up again.
Thank you for your time and support.
"I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers." -Ephesians 1:16
It was that evening that she ended up in the hospital for emergency surgery to save her from becoming paralyzed. Dr. David Feldman was our angel that day. He performed emergency surgery on his day off and because of him, Maria was able to walk, dance, and live again.
Fast forward fifteen years, October 2016, from a simple fall in the bathroom, Maria injured her knee. She was born with a genetic disorder that consists of insensitivity to pain with anhydrosis. Meaning, she does not have the full capability of feeling pain as we do. Since October 2016, she was still able to work and walk on her knee until it was completely shattered until she needed to have surgery.
Only this time, Dr. David Feldman has moved to Florida and cannot perform surgery on Maria. You would think there are so many other doctors in NY, why go to Florida? Because of insurance, she was not able to go to Florida and have the surgery and had to look for a doctor here in NY. After a handful of NY doctors refused this surgery because "it is too complicated," she was able to find a doctor that wanted to help Maria and perform the surgery. He was nice enough to have Dr. Feldman fly in and assist him in the operating room. These expenses were paid out of pocket by my parents.
It only took 3 months of waiting on bed rest to get this situation under control. On April 3rd 2017, Maria finally had the surgery and was hospitalized for another 3 months including rehab to get the physical therapy and care she needed to get her back on her feet.
Unfortunately, even after the surgery, rest, and physical therapy, the results were not what we hoped for. She will now need another operation to save her leg. However, she needs to have the operation in Florida with Dr. Feldman and his team. And because her insurance does not have out of state coverage, she will have to pay out of pocket for not only the surgery, but the hospital stay and recovery. As we all know health care is very costly. The price is unreal, and for this reason we are asking for your gracious support.
Doctor Feldman's expertise will make the osteotomy a success. Maria just wants to live a normal life. Her road to recovery is long. Her will to walk and run is strong.
It breaks my heart to see my sister go through this and all I want is for her to get her life back together. To get back on her feet and be the bold, lively, young woman that she was.
Time is not on our side. It's been almost a year since she fell and shattered her knee and will probably need at least another 3 months of physical therapy after the surgery. The sooner she comes up with the funds, the sooner she will be able to have the operation to save her leg and get her back up again.
Thank you for your time and support.
"I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers." -Ephesians 1:16
Organizer
Sophia Liristis-Fragkoulis
Organizer
New York, NY