Go Fund Me

As Robbie may have to have a bilateral hip disarticulation through a private surgeon we are raising funds to cover surgery costs and associated expenses. So as advised by a few people I have set up a Go Fund Me account. 

www.gofundme.com/zd55ak5d

Professor Al Muderis, Australia's leading orthopaedic surgeon, has agreed to see Robbie again for reassessment. It was nearly three years ago that he first examined Robbie thoroughly. At the time totally opposed to a bilateral hip disarticulation. But recommended a double above knee amputation that was carried out on the 11th of December, 2013 at Penrith's Nepean hospital. The surgery was a 100% success for the purpose of removing pain in his lower legs and enabling me easier access for his personal care. But the amputations were not intended to address the excruciating pain in both his hips from bone spurs and arthritis that has led to Robbie living and sleeping in his electric wheelchair for nearly sixteen years and placing considerable strain on his entire spine. The amputations were a first step. But despite Dr Sorial reassuring us that further surgeries would be considered this has not eventuate as all other options have been dismissed. 

Hip replacement is inappropriate and would still leave Robbie with two useless stumps that prevent easy access in cleaning him. Very fat stumps that are obstructing access to his stoma resulting in his need to now wear garbage bags as any wafer and bag becomes compromised. 

Removing the heads of both femur bones would only leave the danger of the remaining bone riding up into the pelvic region due to muscle contracture from Robbie's particular cerebral palsy. And again cutting the ligaments and tendons entirely would not remove the problem of obstructing useless large stumps. 

No surgeon has yet to advise us of any practical and beneficial alternative over that of the requested bilateral hip disarticulation. 

The argument that such surgery 'might' make his condition worse has no foundation. Without the surgery he is deteriorating at a rapid pace. Which will soon result in him not being able to sleep in a bed or a wheelchair and no body will be able to care for him. He will then be placed in a hospital bed plied with heavy pain killers and sedatives and undergo a slow painful death. Or choke on his food like many with cerebral palsy have and inhale food leading to pneumonia and death from medications interfering with chewing and swallowing function. Robbie is already a high choke risk in his wheelchair sitting up straight! UNACCEPTALE alternative!!!

Nor will he loose his balance as he has no balance anyway due to clonus and the muscle contracture that gravitate him to toppling to his left side. He at all times has a side support and strap around his chest. With no clonus or muscle contracture Robbie would become stable.

Both Robbie and I do not believe there will be a major issue with phantom pain either. After his double amputation he did not suffer phantom pain to any high degree. To this day he only gets mild sensations and that is when he is stressed. Every one believed severe phantom pain would occur and that the amputations would not be a success. 

I invite any surgeon or person dealing exclusively with individuals with cerebral palsy to a public debate on why he or she feels Robbie would be worse off given a bilateral hip disarticulation. 

The argument that removing Robbie's legs could be a world first for someone with cerebral palsy so let's not go there is ridiculous and discrimitory. Medicine is all about world firsts. Progress after trails. Some trials work but many fail. I challenge anyone to contest me over why Robbie should not be able to decide his own fate when his fate soon will be death without surgery. Over the past 21 years surgeons have rebelled against surgical procedures he has had in the past believing such surgeries would 'destroy' his life. Nope! All treatments or surgery that Robbie has requested after becoming informed have been successful.