ACL reconstruction for Irene: covering what insurance won't

Irene was diagnosed with a herniated spinal disc in August. The surgeon at Jinja Orthopedic Institute recommended ACL reconstruction, and She is scheduled for December. The hospital's financial office gave us a written estimate of $1,600, and after what our health plan will pay we're still $800 short. my mother has been in and out of Jinja Orthopedic Institute since August. The doctors say a herniated spinal disc will get worse without ACL reconstruction. We have emptied our savings and borrowed from relatives, but the estimate of $1,600 is more than we can find. While we wait, Irene struggles with daily life and can't climb stairs. Her family has taken turns caring for her, and I've cut my own work hours to be there. Recovery is expected to take about 12 weeks. During that time Irene won't be able to climb stairs, so the costs keep growing. The money goes straight to the treatment bills, and I'll share the invoices as they're paid so you can see exactly what your gift did. Where the $800 goes: • Surgeon and anesthesia fees: $410 • Hospital stay (5 nights): $340 • Post-operative medication: $50 Thank you for reading my story. - Achieng