Hi. I’m Kim Barrett-Waiting for spine surgery

Hi. My name is Kim Barrett. I am fundraising to help with expenses associated with a much needed spine surgery. I must travel to San Francisco, CA, to have surgery at USCF Spine Program. My medical costs are covered. I need help with costs associated with spending 8-9 days in SF. This includes Hotel, food, transportation, and medication.

Background

I live full time in Buena Vista, Baja California Sur. I have been part of the communities of Los Barriles and Buena Vista, BCS, since 1989. My younger two children attended primary and secondary school in Los Barriles. I am a clinical psychologist, and former UW professor.

I volunteer at the secundaria, and assist with the mental health needs of many community residents.

I had two unrelated, serious health problems while in Seattle WA, In 2014 and 2016. In 2014 I became septic from poorly treated pneumonia. I was in a coma, and on life support, for three weeks, The doctors told my family that I was not likely to live. But, by the grace of God, and much to the doctors surprise, I pulled through.

In 2016, I lost my foot due to medical negligence. I am not diabetic. I did not seek legal damages.

The two illnesses nearly wiped out my pension from the University of Washington, where I had been a professor for 20 years.

After the amputation, It took over a year to get a prosthetic. Finally, in 2028, I was able to come back to my home in Buena Vista. However, my prosthetic had problems, sometimes causing my knee to buckle. Unfortunately, within two months of my return to Baja I had a bad fall that caused a progressive injury to my spine, called Kyphosis.

As time went by, my spine began to shift forward. I became more and more bent over. Eventually, my spine became fixed in a bent position. It is impossible for me to stand up straight, without surgical correction.

it is painful to walk, because now, due to my bent position, my neck supports the weight of my head. Additionally, pressure on nerves sometimes causes my leg give way. Consequently, I am in a wheelchair at home, and use crutches when I go out.

I have always been an active person I like to swim and hike. I have 3 horses but riding is no longer possible. My son and I have six dogs. They are a source of pure

joy in my life. My son walks them to the beach every morning. What I would give to do that myself. Because of my curved spine, I have become unable to do my favorite activities. Even going to the grocery store is hard because it takes a lot of effort to look straight ahead, or see what’s on the shelves.

Being able to walk with my prosthesis is no problem. It is is my bent back that is crippling. (A close friend, who is a local car mechanic, Jose Luis Lucero, fixed my prosthesis so that is finally safe.)

It took quite a while to find a spine surgeon who could correct my problem. It is a complex surgical process. I was referred to Dr. Sigurd Berven, at UC Medical Center, in San Francisco.

Dates in April, just became available for surgery. . I will need to be in San Francisco for one month following my surgery. Some of that time I will be in inpatient rehab. However there will be 7-9 days when I will need to find a place to stay in the city.

Thank you so much for helping!

Kim