Help Tiffany Get Her Life Back

Oct 2019, I had pain in my right leg and it was causing me to have difficulties in standing, let alone walking. I went to the hospital and was diagnosed with cellulitis (skin and soft tissue inflammation). My leg swelled up in 2 days, and this time wasn’t difficulties but I couldn’t walk at all.

I then changed hospital, but due to long swelling, it developed a huge blister on my foot after the swelling subsided. And subsequently, there was pus observed from the wound.

My first surgery in my life. There was also knee aspiration done but nothing was found. A keyhole knee debridement was done in Dec 2019.

I was to and fro acute hospital and community hospital. In Jan 2020, an open knee debridement was performed. My knee couldn’t straighten thereafter. During rehabilitation, I was trained to straighten my knees and also weight bearing, but it was too painful. X-ray and MRI was done and my right knee was found to be dislocated.

Second open knee debridement was done in Apr 2020, which was during Covid-19 circuit breaker and no visitors was allowed at all.

In May 2020, third open knee debridement was done, together with an external fixation because of the dislocation. As the knee wound wasn’t able to close fully, skin graft was done in Jun 2020.

Everything went quite smoothly, except for blisters developing on the knee with abscess.

In Feb 2021, fourth open knee debridement was performed with removal of infected bone and replaced with cement spacer, together with local flap and skin graft. Unfortunately, the wound broke down and was macerated. Doctor had to do weekly wound debridement, and apparently the local flap and skin grafted was waste.

The weekly wound debridement lasted till Jun 2021 and fifth open knee debridement together with second change of cement spacer was performed. The wound was not able to close fully, and weekly wound debridement was continued till Dec 2021 when sixth open knee debridement and third change of cement spacer was performed.

Very unfortunate, after times and times of trying for 2 years, it had came to a point that the doctor had to broke the news to me that my knee was badly damaged and recommended an above knee amputation.

I was really upset and depressed. But eventually came to the decision to amputate and was done in Feb 2022.

Probably 1 month after the above knee amputation, my wound broke down. There was abscess oozing out from the drain side. The doctor tried doing wound debridement but to no avail. And suggested hip disarticulation. I broke down and felt depressed again.

I had no choice but to go ahead with the hip disarticulation in Mar 2022. I stayed in the hospital and am only discharged recently, 21 Sep 2022.

I am unable to apply for Assistive Technology Fund (ATF), this is a fund for person with disabilities. I would really grateful if I am able to raise fund to get the equipments such as wheel chairs & prothesis needed for the rest of my life.

The prothesis alone will cost over $32,000 and the rest to cover the electric wheel chairs and all other necessary equipments.

Thank you!!