Help Myfanwy Recover from ALIF 360 Spine Fusion Surgery

Myfanwy is a widowed mother of 2, a low waged non-profit arts worker with no job security, with a very bad broken/fractured back and needs surgery.

As you may know, Myfanwy is undergoing a complex ALIF 360 Fusion Surgery shortly after January 15th 2025. She has Grade 3 spondylolisthesis at L5 and S1 - a slip of 23mm. This means her entire spinal column above L5 has slipped more than 50% off the bottom part - S1. She also has a pars fracture, with severe bilateral foraminal stenosis. Her nerve root bundle is compromised. She has been living with excruciating pain, receiving weekly nerve block injections for a few years as her spondylolisthesis slips further and further. The history of this broken back can be traced back to her youth, from a stress fracture from overuse as an inspired intense ballerina. The slip was slow but progressive.

She will have a long recovery with no bending, lifting or twisting for a long time. It can take 6 months to a year for the vertebrae to fuse. She needs equipment like a walker, raised toilet seat, bed rails, toilet rails etc. She will need home care (bathing), wound care (nurse), medications (pain &amp; nerve related), physio (alot of it) and safe travel to and from followup appointments. She may need care in a facility for a bit as her washroom is on the second floor and we do not know if stairs will be possible for a few weeks post surgery. She will also need visits from friends and time in with her kids.

She needs a minimum 6 month leave from work in order to recover from this surgery. Her job is also not unionized, and not protected.

There are many unknowns as it is the early days but the funds will help her address lost wages and medical expenses and accessibility equipment, home care &amp; rehab services beyond what is covered by OHIP.

Myfanwy is the main income earner in her little family, with one of her kids at home still and one moved away in university. Her boyfriend Marco is on ODSP so while he will be able to help out somewhat with things like making meals and cleaning, it is a big workload. We really need him not to break! He will also be taking on a bunch of the parenting things and so that is all additional stress for everyone.

The surgery goes like this: One day they go in through the front, move aside the internal organs, move aside the major arteries, remove the disc at L5 and S1 slide in a "cage" with cadaver bone (or possibly harvested from her pelvis) and some other hardware, then sew her up and two days later, flip her over, open her up through her back and add the rest of the hardware.

As you know, Myfanwy is very resilient and also pretty proud of her independence and ability to navigate through some significant difficulties life has bestowed on her. But this time she definitely needs help!

Thank you so much! Every bit counts and she’s very grateful to have your support.

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Myfanwy Ashmore

Help Myfanwy Recover from ALIF 360 Spine Fusion Surgery

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Helping loved ones recover after surgery is difficult. Visit Give InKind for concrete suggestions and a new way to schedule meals and support to those in need of help.

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